Contractions With Not

What is a contraction? 

• A contraction is one word made up of two words.  
• We do this to make things short and trim.  
• The first word usually stays the same. 

I will à I’ll (the first word remained the same)  

• And in some cases, both the first word and the second word lose letters.  
• Shall not à Shan’t (Both words changed)  
• An apostrophe always fills the space of the missing letters.  

Examples:

Where only the second word changes 

• I have à I’ve 
• I had à I’d 
• You are à You’re 
• Have not à Haven’t  
• Is not à Isn’t  
• Cannot à Can’t 

Where both the first- and second-word changes 

• Shall not à Shan’t 
• Will not à Won’t 
• Contractions are used in normal speech and informal writing (writing notes / writing to family and friends) 
• Don’t use them contractions in formal writing.  
• Use complete words. 

Example:

‘Cannot’ rather than ‘can’t’  

• We use contractions with not in sentences were of negation. 
• I.e., we are refusing something/ expressing impossibility, etc. 
• They are also used to ask questions.  

Example:

• I can’t go to the show today. 
• I won’t let you skip sleep. 
• Won’t you help me?