Wikipedia:List of English contractions

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This list is part of the internal Wikipedia Manual of Style. For encyclopedic information see English auxiliaries and contractions.

This is a list of contractions used in the Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Abbreviations these are to be avoided anywhere other than in direct quotations in encyclopedic prose.

Some acronyms are formed by contraction these are covered at Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Abbreviations. Some trademarks (e.g. Nabisco) and titles of published works (e.g. "Ain't That a Shame") consist of or contain contractions; these are covered at Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Trademarks and Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Titles, respectively.

Please note that this page can be edited by anyone. It's illustrative, not exhaustive, and some of its entries are colloquial or obsolete.

Also, please note that many other proper contractions can be formed by combining various contractions listed here.

List of common (and not archaic) English contractions
Contraction Meaning
a'ight alright
ain't am not / is not / are not / has not / have not / did not (colloquial)[1]
amn't am not[2]
aren't are not[3]
can't cannot
'cause because
could've could have
couldn't could not
couldn't've could not have
daren't dare not / dared not
daresn't dare not
dasn't dare not
didn't did not
doesn't does not
don't do not / does not[4]
dunno don't know / do not know
d'ye do you / did you
e'er ever
'em them
everybody's everybody is
everyone's everyone is
g'day good day
gimme give me
giv'n given
gonna going to
gon't go not (colloquial)
gotta got to
hadn't had not
had've had have
hasn't has not
haven't have not
he'd he had / he would
he'll he shall / he will
he's he has / he is
here's here is
he've he have
how'd how did / how would
howdy how do you do / how do you fare
how'll how will
how're how are
how's how has / how is / how does
I'd I had / I would
I'd've I would have
I'll I shall / I will
I'm I am
I'm'a I am about to
I'm'o I am going to
innit is it not
I've I have
isn't is not
it'd it would
it'll it shall / it will
it's it has / it is
iunno I don't know
kinda kind of
let's let us
ma'am madam
mayn't may not
may've may have
methinks me thinks
mightn't might not
might've might have
mustn't must not
mustn't've must not have
must've must have
needn't need not
nal and all
ne'er never
o'clock of the clock
o'er over
ol' old
oughtn't ought not
's is, has, does, or us
shalln't shall not (archaic)
shan't shall not
she'd she had / she would
she'll she shall / she will
she's she has / she is
should've should have
shouldn't should not
shouldn't've should not have
somebody's somebody has / somebody is
someone's someone has / someone is
something's something has / something is
so're so are (colloquial)
that'll that shall / that will
that're that are
that's that has / that is
that'd that would / that had
there'd there had / there would
there'll there shall / there will
there're there are
there's there has / there is
these're these are
these've these have
they'd they had / they would
they'll they shall / they will
they're they are / they were
they've they have
this's this has / this is
those're those are
those've those have
'tis it is
to've to have
'twas it was
wanna want to
wasn't was not
we'd we had / we would/ we did
we'd've we would have
we'll we shall / we will
we're we are
we've we have
weren't were not
what'd what did
what'll what shall / what will
what're what are/what were
what's what has / what is / what does
what've what have
when's when has / when is
where'd where did
where'll where shall / where will
where're where are
where's where has / where is / where does
where've where have
which'd which had / which would
which'll which shall / which will
which're which are
which's which has / which is
which've which have
who'd who would / who had / who did
who'd've who would have
who'll who shall / who will
who're who are
who's who has / who is / who does
who've who have
why'd why did
why're why are
why's why has / why is / why does
willn't will not (archaic)
won't will not
wonnot will not (archaic)
would've would have
wouldn't would not
wouldn't've would not have
y'all you all (colloquial/Southern American English)
y'all'd've you all would have (colloquial/Southern American English)
y'all'd'n've you all would not have (colloquial/Southern American English)
y'all're you all are (colloquial/Southern American English)
y'at you at
you'd you had / you would
you'll you shall / you will
you're you are
you've you have
  1. ^ Ain't is used colloquially by some speakers as a substitute for a number of contractions, but is considered incorrect by others.
  2. ^ Amn't is primarily used in Scottish and Irish English.
  3. ^ Aren't is usually a contraction of "are not"; however, it can be used as a contraction of "am not" in questions (e.g. "Aren't I the greatest?"), though this is often considered colloquial.
  4. ^ Don't can be used to mean "does not"; however, this is considered colloquial to most speakers.
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