Kooyeen  +  403666 Sun, 12 Aug 07 08:22 PM Hi, I noticed some "new" contractions I didn't know. I understand that "did" can be contracted after words like "What, how, where, etc.", and would is not contracted that way (I hope). He'd get mad = He would gat mad Where'd he go? = Where did he go? But I noticed that "was" is sometimes contracted too, and that's a little confusing, I think. How's your mother? = How is you mother? So? How's dinner? = How was dinner? Is this true, and confusing? Do you know of other common contractions? For example, Merriam-Webster says that 's is  a contraction of IS (ok), WAS (just found out), HAS (yep)... and DOES (what? never heard this, I hope it's not used...) Thanks Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,969 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts Contractions

	Sooris  +  403893 Mon, 13 Aug 07 09:29 AM I think all the contractions that you have mentioned happened when they spoke and not in written English. Native speakers leave out several letters and words when they speak. This happens when you try to capture their spoken English into written form. However, this will create confusion when you start writing these contracted forms. Sooris Joined on Tue, Sep 26 2006 chennai Full Member 121 Sureshbabu Padmanabahan Contractions

	Kooyeen  +  403917 Mon, 13 Aug 07 10:24 AM Well, actually I think "How was" should be more like "Ha was dinner", so "How's dinner" is not ok... But Merriam-Webster online says that 's is a contraction of "was", and also "does"... ---> http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/'s WAS: When's the last time you ate? DOES: What's he want? I've never heard "does" contracted that way, I don't know if it's common, let's hope not. But I heard something very similar to "How's" for "How was" though... Anyway, I'll recheck this thread or open another one when I come back, I have to go and I'll probably not post for about ten days... Kooyeen Contractions

	GL2  +  404059 Mon, 13 Aug 07 04:14 PM While 'was' and 'does' may be used in contractions, it seems to me they're used mostly (maybe exclusively) with 'when' and 'what' and not very frequently at that.  Using, "How's dinner?" to mean, "How was dinner?" would sound like sloppy pronunciation if spoken that way.  Written, it would be interpreted by most native speakers to mean, "How is dinner?"  If you were to ask someone who had just finished eating, "How's dinner?" he would most likely think you were under the false impression dinner was still being served and respond with something like, "We've already eaten, but it was good." GL2 Joined on Sun, Aug 12 2007 Seattle, WA, USA Junior Member 69 Contractions, Pronunciation

	CalifJim  +  404131 Mon, 13 Aug 07 07:40 PM My impression is that was never contracts.  I would take When's the last time... as When is the last time ... -- I think.     Forms of do do contract after question words in very casual conversation ('s, 'd).  The 'd seems to me more common and more natural sounding than the 's.  I placed question marks before the sentences below that don't strike me as the best choices.  (Personal opinion.) Where'd he go on vacation?  [wair dee] ??Where's he go on vacation?   [wair zee] ?When'd he leave?  [wen dee] ??When's he leave?  [wen zee] How'd he find out?  [howdee] ???How's he find out?   [howzee] Why'd he do that?   [widee] ???Why's he do that?    [wizee] Who'd he think'd do it?  [hoodee] ?Who's he think'll do it?  [hoozee] ???What'd he say?  [wuddidee] [wuddee] ?What's he say?  [wutsee] CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Conversations, Contractions, Question Marks

	GL2  +  404368 Tue, 14 Aug 07 09:58 AM Jim may be right about 'was.'  The example given above: "When's the last time you ate?" Could be written: "What is the last time you ate?" Since 'was' and 'is' both end in 's,' it's hard to say what the author's intentions are/were. GL2 Contractions

	Kooyeen  +  407020 Mon, 20 Aug 07 10:16 PM Back! Ok, looks like M-W needs someone to sue them again... I found those examples (...with question marks and pronunciation) very interesting. What sounds good is probably what you've heard most often or what you usually say, as a contraction. I really didn't know "does" could sometimes become "s", I think I've never noticed this kind of contraction (but I hear "did" as "d" pretty often). Thank you all. Kooyeen Contractions, Question Marks, Pronunciation

	CalifJim  +  407024 Mon, 20 Aug 07 10:23 PM Welcome back! Did you enjoy your vacation?  Or business trip?  Or whatever? CJ CalifJim