Unit 3 - Contractions
Contractions
Unit 3 Dialogues - Contractions
1.
I am hungry.
Me too, I'm really
hungry! Let's go get some food!
-----
2.
They are doctors.
No they're not, they're teachers.
Oh, you're right!
-----
3.
Hi Sylvia, how's it going?
Oh, I'm OK, but I'm so tired. I don't want to study.
Me too, these days we're very busy. Let's study tomorrow. I want to go to the movies!
Oh, I don't want to miss class. Let's study!
You're right, let's go to class. Then we aren't busy, we're free!
That's great!
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Key Vocabulary
|
hungry |
want |
Unit 3 Grammar - Contractions
Many verbs have short
forms which are used particularly in spoken
English. For example: "I am happy today"
= "I'm happy today". The short forms
of the verb "to be" are as follows:
|
Singular I am = I'm You are = You're He is = He's She is = She's It is = It's |
Plural We are = We're You are= You're They are =
They're |
Be careful not to confuse it's with its. It's means "it is", but its is a possessive form we'll study later.
2. Negative Contractions - Simple Present Verb "to be"
There are two main short forms for the negative of the verb "to be": "You are" becomes "You're not" or "you aren't". For example:
- She is not
happy = She isn't happy = She's not
happy.
- We are not singers = We aren't
singers = We're not singers
The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:
|
Singular I am not =
I'm not = You are not = You're not = You aren't He is not = He's not = He isn't She is not = She's not = She isn't It is not = It's not = It isn't |
Plural We are = We're not = We aren't You are= You're not = You aren't They are = They're not = They aren't
|
* "I am" Negative Contraction
You can say "I am not", and you can say "I'm not", but you can't say "I amn't".
3. Negative Contractions - Simple Present
Simple Present negatives
contract in two ways: "do not" becomes
"don't" and "does not" becomes
"doesn't". For example:
- Statement: I do not like pizza = I don't like
pizza.
- Questions: He does not drive a car = He doesn't
drive a car.
And just in case you need it, here's a table of Simple Present contractions.
|
Singular I do not = I don't You do not = You don't He does not = He doesn't She does not = She doesn't It does not = It doesn't |
Plural We do not = We don't You do not = You don't They do not = They don't
|
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Rewrite these sentences using contractions of the verb "to be".
Example: ______ a student. (She is) - She's a student.
1. happy today. (I am)
2. from Tokyo. (He is)
3. hungry. (We are)
4. Kate and I at home. (are not)
5. smart students. (They are)
6. a beautiful picture. (It is)
7. The weather good today. (is not)
8. You sad today. (are not)
9. (are) Japanese students.
10. It (is not) my book.
Answers
1. = "I'm";2. = "He's";
3. = "We're";
4. = "aren't";
5. = "They're";
6. = "It's";
7. = "isn't";
8. = "aren't";
9. = "We're";
10. = "isn't";
Exercise 2
Rewrite these sentences using contractions of the verb "to be".
Example: He ______ bread. (not like) - He doesn't like cheese.
1. I in Canada. (not live)
2. She from Russia. (not come)
3. We TV at home. (not watch)
4. a pen? (you have)
5. to watch a movie? (they want)
6. a bicycle? (he ride)
7. to the gym? (she go)
8. She to the gym. (not go)
9. a car? (they drive)
10. happy? (you feel)
Answers
1. = "don't live";2. = "doesn't come";
3. = "don't watch";
4. = "Do you have";
5. = "Do they want";
6. = "Does he ride";
7. = "Does she go";
8. = "doesn't go";
9. = "Do they drive";
10. = "Do you feel";