In English, people often try to say as much as they can with the fewest words possible. To help with this, we use contractions. That’s when we add an apostrophe and combine two words into one new sound. Let’s take a look at a few of them. 

My name’s John. 

Name + is = Name’s 

Sound: naymz

I’d gone to Paris for a month. 

I + had= I’d

Sound: eyed

I’ve eaten at that restaurant before. 

I + have= I’ve

Sound: eyev

Remember, words are often run together when someone is speaking quickly, so sounds may blend together. 

Listening to our audio stories and reading along will help you prepare for future conversations.

Have you heard any of these contractions in conversation lately? Try using them in your conversations,

-You Are Learning English Team

A group of experienced and certified ESL and English as a Foreign Language teachers.