Informal ContractionsInformal Contractionsor or

Reduced FormsReduced Forms in Englishin English

What?What?

Informal contractions are Informal contractions are short formsshort forms of of other words that people use when other words that people use when speaking casually. speaking casually.

They are not exactly slang, but they are a They are not exactly slang, but they are a little like slang. little like slang.

They are more common in American They are more common in American English.English.

To sound more like a native speaker of To sound more like a native speaker of English, it is necessary to learn the English, it is necessary to learn the reduced forms used in daily speech. reduced forms used in daily speech. 

It is also important if you want to It is also important if you want to understand what native speakers are understand what native speakers are saying.  saying. 

RememberRemember

These reduced forms are These reduced forms are notnot written in written in standard English, but you may see some standard English, but you may see some of them in songs, advertisements and of them in songs, advertisements and personal writing, when wishing to reflect personal writing, when wishing to reflect natural speech.natural speech.

These informal contractionsThese informal contractions are not are not "correct" "correct" English. English.

Standard English Standard English

becausebecause

Reduced FormReduced Form

kuzkuz

ExampleExample

"I don't wanna go to the party, kuz it "I don't wanna go to the party, kuz it sounds boring."sounds boring."

Standard EnglishStandard English

bet youbet you

Reduced FormReduced Form

betchbetcha a

ExampleExample

"I betcha can't eat ten hot dogs!""I betcha can't eat ten hot dogs!"

Standard EnglishStandard English

could have + consonant  could have + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

kudkudaa

ExampleExample

"You kuda gone with me, if you'd told me "You kuda gone with me, if you'd told me in plenty of time."in plenty of time."

Standard EnglishStandard English

could have + vowel  could have + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Form

kudkudaavv

ExampleExample

"I was so hungry, I kudav eaten a horse.""I was so hungry, I kudav eaten a horse."

Standard EnglishStandard English

did you  did you  

Reduced FormReduced Form

didjdidjaa/didy/didyaa

ExampleExample

"Didja like the film?""Didja like the film?"

Standard EnglishStandard English

don't youdon't you

Reduced FormReduced Form

donchdonchaa

ExampleExample

"Doncha know?""Doncha know?"

Standard EnglishStandard English

get you  get you  

Reduced FormReduced Form

getchgetchaa

ExampleExample

"I'll getcha a drink.""I'll getcha a drink."

Standard EnglishStandard English

give me  give me  

Reduced FormReduced Form

gimmegimme

ExampleExample

"Gimme all your money!""Gimme all your money!"

Standard EnglishStandard English

going to + verb going to + verb

Reduced FormReduced Form

ggoonnnnaa

ExampleExample

"I'm gonna do my homework now.""I'm gonna do my homework now."

Standard EnglishStandard English

got you   got you   

Reduced FormReduced Form

gotchgotcha a

ExampleExample

"I gotcha that candy bar you asked for.""I gotcha that candy bar you asked for."

Standard EnglishStandard Englishhas to  has to  

Reduced FormReduced Formhasthasta a   

ExampleExample"He hasta know how much he means to "He hasta know how much he means to me."me."

Standard EnglishStandard English

have to   have to   

Reduced FormReduced Form

hafthaftaa

ExampleExample

"I hafta clean the house before I go out.""I hafta clean the house before I go out."

Standard EnglishStandard English

how are you + verbhow are you + verb

Reduced FormReduced Form

howaryhowaryaa

ExampleExample

"Howarya  doin'?" "Howarya  doin'?"

Standard EnglishStandard English

I don't know   I don't know   

Reduced FormReduced Form

I dI duunnonno

ExampleExample

"I dunno what to think about that.""I dunno what to think about that."

Standard EnglishStandard English

kind of + consonant   kind of + consonant   

Reduced FormReduced Form

kindkindaa

ExampleExample

"I'm kinda worried about that test.""I'm kinda worried about that test."

Standard EnglishStandard English

kind of + vowel   kind of + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Form

kindkindaavv

ExampleExample

"This book is kindav interesting."  "This book is kindav interesting."  

Standard EnglishStandard English

kinds of + consonant  kinds of + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

kindskindsaa

Example Example

"What kindsa clothes does that shop sell?" "What kindsa clothes does that shop sell?"

Standard EnglishStandard English

kinds of + vowel kinds of + vowel 

Reduced FormReduced Form

kindskindsaavv

ExampleExample

    "Look at all those different kindsav "Look at all those different kindsav oranges for sale!"oranges for sale!"

Standard EnglishStandard English

let me   let me   

Reduced FormReduced Form

lemmelemme

ExampleExample

"Lemme in!" "Lemme in!"

Standard EnglishStandard Englishlot of + consonant   lot of + consonant   

Reduced FormReduced Formlottlottaa

ExampleExample"I've got a lotta respect for that guy.""I've got a lotta respect for that guy."

  

Standard EnglishStandard English        lot of + vowel   lot of + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Formlottlottaavv

ExampleExample"There were a lottav English people at the "There were a lottav English people at the party."party."

  

Standard EnglishStandard English

lots of + consonant  lots of + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

lottslottsaa

Example Example

"There were lottsa different nationalities in "There were lottsa different nationalities in that chat room." that chat room."

Standard EnglishStandard English

lots of + vowel lots of + vowel 

Reduced FormReduced Form

lottslottsaavv

ExampleExample

"There were lottsav interesting things to "There were lottsav interesting things to see and do."  see and do."  

Standard EnglishStandard English

might have + consonant    might have + consonant   

Reduced Form Reduced Form

mightmightaa

ExampleExample

"I mighta gone with him if he'd invited me" "I mighta gone with him if he'd invited me"

Standard EnglishStandard English

might have + vowel  might have + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Form

mightmightaavv

Example Example

"She mightav agreed to come if you'd "She mightav agreed to come if you'd been nicer to her."been nicer to her."

Standard English Standard English

must have + consonant  must have + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

mustmustaa

ExampleExample

"I musta walked past her without even "I musta walked past her without even seeing her."seeing her."

Standard EnglishStandard Englishmust have + vowel  must have + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Formmustmustaavv

Example Example "She mustav intended to dump him before "She mustav intended to dump him before his birthday." his birthday."

  

Standard EnglishStandard English

ought to  ought to  

Reduced FormReduced Form

oughtoughtaa

ExampleExample

"You oughta know more about that than "You oughta know more about that than me." me."

Standard EnglishStandard English

should have + consonantshould have + consonant

Reduced FormReduced Form

shouldshouldaa

ExampleExample  

"I shoulda studied harder for the exam". "I shoulda studied harder for the exam".

Standard EnglishStandard Englishshould have + vowel   should have + vowel   

Reduced FormReduced Formshouldshouldaavv

Example Example "He really shouldav opened up about his "He really shouldav opened up about his feelings." feelings."

  

Standard EnglishStandard English

should not have + consonant   should not have + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

shouldn'tshouldn'taa/shouldn'/shouldn'aa

ExampleExample

"Where is she?  She shouldn'a taken that "Where is she?  She shouldn'a taken that long!"long!"

Standard EnglishStandard English

should not have + vowel   should not have + vowel   

Reduced Form Reduced Form

shouldn'tshouldn'taav/shouldn'v/shouldn'aav v

Example Example

"She shouldn'tav ignored you like that." "She shouldn'tav ignored you like that."

Standard EnglishStandard English

want to  want to  

Reduced FormReduced Form

wannwannaa

Example Example

"I wanna go home." "I wanna go home."

Standard EnglishStandard Englishwant-to-be want-to-be

Reduced FormReduced Formwannabeewannabee

Example Example Scores of Britney Spears wannabees Scores of Britney Spears wannabees raided the shops where she had bought raided the shops where she had bought her latest outfit. her latest outfit.

   

Standard EnglishStandard English

what are you + gerundwhat are you + gerund

Reduced FormReduced Form

whatchwhatchaa

ExampleExample

"Whatcha doin'?"  "Whatcha doin'?"  

Standard EnglishStandard English

what do you + verb   what do you + verb  

Reduced FormReduced Form

whaddwhaddaayyaa

ExampleExample

"Whaddaya wanna do today?""Whaddaya wanna do today?"

Standard EnglishStandard English

would have + consonant  would have + consonant  

Reduced FormReduced Form

wouldwouldaa

ExampleExample

"I woulda done the dishes if you'd asked "I woulda done the dishes if you'd asked me."me."

Standard EnglishStandard English

would have + vowel  would have + vowel  

Reduced FormReduced Form

wouldwouldaavv

ExampleExample

““I wouldav asked you to do it, if I'd thought I wouldav asked you to do it, if I'd thought you would.”you would.”

Standard EnglishStandard English

I don’t know I don’t know

Reduced FormReduced Form

Dunno Dunno

ExampleExample

Are you going to college when you leave Are you going to college when you leave school ? school ?

- Dunno- Dunno ! !