INFORMAL CONTRACTIONS

Informal Contractions

Informal contractions are

short forms of other words

that people use when

speaking casually. They are

not exactly slang, but they

are a little like slang.

For example, "gonna" is a

short form of "going to". If

you say "going to" very fast,

without carefully pronouncing

each word, it can sound like

"gonna".

Please remember that these

are informal contractions.

That means that we do not

use them in "correct" speech,

and we almost never use

them in writing. (If you see

them in writing, for example

in a comic strip, that is

because the written words

represent the spoken words

or dialogue.) We normally use

them only when speaking fast

and casually, for example

with friends. Some people

never use them, even in

informal speech.

It is probably true to say that

informal contractions are

more common in American

English.

Also note that, unlike normal

contractions, we do not

usually use apostrophes (')

with informal contractions

when written.

Listed below are some

common informal

contractions, with example

sentences. Note that the

example sentences may be a

little artificial because when

we use a contraction we may

also use other contractions in

the same sentence, or even

drop some words

completely. For example:

What are you going to

do? >>

Whatcha going to do? >>

Whatcha gonna do?

or

Do you want a beer?

Do you wanna beer?

D'you wanna beer?

D'ya wanna beer?

Ya wanna beer?

Wanna beer?

These informal contractions

are not "correct" English. Do

not use them in a written

exam, for example, except in

appropriate situations.

ain't = am not/are not/is

not

I ain't sure.

You ain't my boss.

ain't = has not/have not

I ain't done it.

She ain't finished yet.

gimme = give me

Gimme your money.

Don't gimme that

rubbish.

Can you gimme a hand?

gonna = going to

Nothing's gonna change

my love for you.

I'm not gonna tell you.

What are you gonna do?

gotta = (have) got a

I've gotta gun.

I gotta gun.

She hasn't gotta penny.

Have you gotta car?

gotta = (have) got to

I've gotta go now.

I gotta go now.

We haven't gotta do that.

Have they gotta work?

kinda = kind of

She's kinda cute.

lemme = let me

Lemme go!

wanna = want to

I wanna go home.

wanna = want a

I wanna coffee.

whatcha = what are you

Whatcha going to do?

whatcha = what have you

Whatcha got there?

ya = you

Who saw ya?

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