Short forms (I'm / didn't, etc.)

In spoken English we usually say "I'm/you've/didn't," etc. ( = I am/you have/did not). We also use these short forms in informal written English (for example, in letters to friends). When we write short forms, we use an apostrophe (') for the missing letter or letters.

I'm = I am     you've = you have    didn't = did not

Short forms of auxiliary verbs (am/is/are/have/has/had/will/shall/would).

'm = am 's = is or has 're = are 've = have 'll = will or shall 'd = would or had

I'm I've I'll I'd

he's he'll he'd

she's she'll she'd

it's it'll

you're you've you'll you'd

we're we've we'll we'd

they're they've they'll they'd

  

's can be is or has.

• He's sick. ( = He is sick.)
• He's gone away. ( = He has gone away.)

'd can be would or had.

• I'd see a doctor if I were you. ( = I would see)
• I'd never seen her before. ( = I had never seen)

We use the some of these short forms after question words (who/what/how, etc.) and after that/there/here.

who's  who'll  who'd

what's  what'll  how's

where's  when's  here's

that's  that'll

there's  there'll

• Who's that girl over there? ( = who is)
• What's happened? ( = what has)
• I think there'll be a lot of people at the party. ( = there will)

Sometimes we use short forms (especially 's) after a noun.

• John's going out tonight. ( = John is going)
• My friend's just gotten married. ( = My friend has just gotten)

You cannot use these short forms ('m/'s/'ve, etc.) at the end of a sentence (because the verb is stressed in this position).

• "Are you tired?" "Yes, I am." (not "Yes, I'm.")
• Do you know where he is? (not Do you know where he's?)

Short forms of auxiliary verbs + not (isn't/didn't, etc.)

isn't ( = is not) aren't ( = are not) wasn't ( = was not) weren't ( = were not) don't ( = do not) doesn't ( = does not) didn't ( = did not)

haven't ( = have not)  hasn't ( = has not)  hadn't ( = had not)  can't ( = cannot)  couldn't ( = could not)  won't ( = will not)

wouldn't ( = would not)  shouldn't ( = should not) mustn't ( = must not)

Note that you can say.

he isn't/she isn't/it isn't    or   he's not/she's not/it's not

you aren't/we aren't//      or  you're not/we're not/they're not