Click here to play!

contraction

Click here to play
   Share on Facebook  
hanuman_2000  #245752  Sat, 15 Jul 06 06:01 AM

Hello,

1.  He is a good boy.

The contracted form of this sentence is

a)He's a good boy.

2. He is not a good boy.

The contracted form

a) He's not a good boy.

b) He isn't a good boy.

Which  one between (a) and (b) is correct?

What are the rules?

  
Top 75 Contributor
Joined on Thu, Aug 12 2004
INDIA
Contributing Member (1,604)
CalifJim  #245765  Sat, 15 Jul 06 06:55 AM
Both a and b are correct.  You are free to choose the one you like.  (I like a better!)  There are no rules.  Smile [:)]

CJ

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member (16,557)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Likeguslee  #245771  Sat, 15 Jul 06 07:19 AM

b is correct. He isn't a good boy

Here are the rules for contractions:

 

Apostrophes with Verb Contractions

Apostrophes generally show missing letters in contractions. In most formal writing such contractions should be avoided.

The most common contractions involve verbs in five situations.

1. Verbs with not contracted, or shortened.

Examples: aren't    don't    isn't    wasn't    can't    weren't    weren't    wouldn't    doesn't    hasn't    haven't    couldn't

Note: The word won't is a contraction of will not--in older dialects will was often spelled with an o. The word shan't for shall not is seldom used in the United States. The word ain't is considered nonstandard.

2. Pronouns with will.

Examples: I'll    you'll    he'll    she'll    they'll

Note: In conversation the word will is often slurred and may show up in dialogue as 'll after most nouns, e.g., "John'll come home soon."

3. Pronouns and nouns with the verb to be.

Examples: I'm    you're    who's (i.e., who is)   he's    she's    it's    we're    they're

Note: In conversation the word is is often contracted with nouns, e.g. "Martha's here."

Please note four confusing contractions:

who's    it's    you're    they're

Remember, the apostrophe indicates that letters have been left out.

who's = who is or who has    you're = you are    it's = it is or it has    they're = they are

The possessive of who is whose.

Correct: Who's coming with me? (Contraction)

Correct: Whose book is this? (Possessive)

4. Pronouns with the verb to have.

Examples: I've    he's    you've    we've    they've

(Note that the 's could stand for is or has.)

Note: Sometimes the word have is slurred, especially after verbs like would, could, and should. In dialogue this can be shown as 've, but never as of.

Incorrect: We would of like to have gone.

Correct: We would've liked to have gone.

(To show contraction in speaking)

Correct: We would have liked to have gone.

(In more formal writing)

5. Pronouns with would or had contracted.

Examples: I'd    he'd    she'd    you'd    we'd    they'd

I'd better go.

(I had better go.)

He'd want to go.

(He would want to go.)

In everyday conversation the word would is often slurred and may be shown as 'd following a noun in dialogue, e.g. "John'd be upset if he found out."

  
Top 200 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Jun 5 2006
USA
Full Member (330)
CalifJim  #245783  Sat, 15 Jul 06 08:24 AM
Likeguslee,

It is true that b is correct, but it is misleading to say it that way since a is also correct!  Smile [:)]

CJ

  
Maple  #245793  Sat, 15 Jul 06 09:38 AM

The google results:

"he's not":34,200,000;

"he isn't": 10,200,000

  
Top 75 Contributor
Joined on Tue, Jul 11 2006
An ESL student in China
Contributing Member (1,110)
Grammar Geek  #245955  Sun, 16 Jul 06 03:28 AM
I would suggest that with more than ten million hits, "he isnt'" is shown to be perfectly valid, even if "he's not" is more popular.
  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Pennsylvania, USA
Veteran Member (15,288)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
Barbara, who answers in American English.
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions