By Contractions, Expressions

Thanks for the context, Wholegrain. It is a difficult and somewhat unfamiliar style. I think the author contrasts the business travelers (merchants on deck) with the other, more mysterious and concealed travelers, in "confidential passages," etc. I expect the merchants would be...

"Ain't" is a spoken contraction. Generally, it is used instead of am not, but can also replace is not, are not, has not, have not, do not, does not, did not. I ain't telling you... (used instead of "am not"), I ain't tell you... (used instead of "do...

Hi Hoa Thai, I was told the use of contraction for 'be' and 'have' sometimes idomatically alters the meaning of an expression (e.g., that's vs. that is, you've vs. you have, etc...). Is this right? If so, could you please show me a few examples and explain the meaning behind each one of...

Hello,I was told the use of contraction for 'be' and 'have' sometimes idomatically alters the meaning of an expression (e.g., that's vs. that is, you've vs. you have, etc...). Is this right? If so, could you please show me a few examples and explain the meaning behind each one of them?Thank you...

My answer is the same as Yankee's, except that I'm fairly indifferent to whether contractions are used or not. must not is a bit more clear than mustn't, but I'd accept either. I think you and Kooyeen are looking for something like these: She was not allowed to go to the disco. She was...

1. Sounds natural to me. 2. Sounds unnatural to me, but not for the same reason as Yankee gives. It's clearly an expression more often heard in conversation than seen in writing, so contractions should be used to make it sound more natural. I haven't the foggiest idea ... has a slightly...

Another set of patterns occurred to me. These sometimes give learners trouble, and it's a good idea to practice them until they are automatic. They are drills on 'subject pronoun + auxiliary verb' contractions. Type X1: he's, she's, I'm, you're, we're, they're Type X2: he'll, she'll,...

Hi Yankee, Why is it very common in English to use contractions of various expressions? Like as you said: When shown to be wrong, I have to eat humble pie. = When I am shown to be wrong, I have to eat humble pie. Perhaps to natives like you just saying when shown to be wrong is correct even...

Hi Crazy-- I finally got here. I have added some comments in brackets after underlined 'problems':Do Sports and Drugs Mix? Since the dawn of time years while playing football and was the quarter back of our team. Everyone thought he was going to make it to the NFL but during our...

Emma wondered if it was correct grammar to say, "Isn't she pretty?" because it would sound strange if you said, "Is not she pretty?" Yes. It is perfectly grammatical. Grammarians think of questions as being transformed forms of statements. So, for example, the statement She is pretty can be...