Help me learn?

[Allison Grey]

What is a CONTRACTION?

I have no idea what they are, or how to use them properly. If you look through my posts you MAY find some there, but I do not understand them. Help?  

[Zoe green eyes]

The word contract means to squeeze together and make smaller.

A contraction is a word made of two words that are put together and then made shorter.



For example: can + not = can't and are + not = aren't

The ' (apostrophe) takes the place of letters that are taken out of the word. In the contraction can't, the ' takes the place of the letters n and o. See: can not = can't

This book is so good I can't stop reading it!

This book isn't contracted - it's expanded!

http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/contractions.htm

 

[m a d c a p .]

Just to add on a bit: don't confuse "it's" and "its".

It's (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of the words IT and IS.
ex. It is cold out.
ex. It's cold out.

Its on the other hand is not a contraction but the possesive form of the word IT.
ex. The monster shook her hairy head.
ex. The monster shook its hairy head.

In essence, use the apostrophe'd form when you could just as easily say "it is," and save its for use as a possesive pronoun.  

[Allison Grey]

That is interesting! Oh, would that work in a contraction?

That + is = that's?

I have seen it before but thought that it meant a reference to something else! sweatdrop  

[sdfghjklsdfghjskldfghjkls]

There are some ... "irregular" contractions out and about...
For example, the contraction for "will" and "not" is "won't."
(I will not go with you to the store. --> I won't go with you to the store.)

If you're contracting anything with the word "not," then omit the "o" and substitute it with an apostrophe.

Are + not = aren't.
Have + not = haven't.
Is + not = isn't.

If you're contracting anything with the word "are," then omit the "a" and substitute it with an apostrophe.

You + are = you're.
They + are = they're.
We + are = we're.

Those are all the weird ones I can think of...

-edit-
I'm sorry... maybe it's just because contractions are so common / taken for granted, but this seems like a joke thread.