19 Apostrophes for Contractions
KEY CONCEPTS
Editors and writing coaches may suggest that you avoid contractions in your formal writing. However, contractions can be useful in informal writing, especially to resemble spoken conversation. For example, contractions are often used in broadcast writing.
Questions in this chapter will help you pay special attention to correct usage for the following sets of words:
• They’re / their / there
• You’re / your
• We’re / where / were
• Who’s / whose
• It’s / its
For clarity, avoid the contractions could’ve, would’ve and should’ve. Instead, spell out could have, would have and should have. Do NOT write could of, would of, or should of.
Your going to learn why you’re contractions can confuse you’re audience, especially if their not used correctly.
Ouch. I meant to say that you’re going to learn why your contractions can confuse your audience, especially if they’re not used correctly.
In the previous lesson, we studied possessive apostrophes. Now we’ll switch to apostrophes in contractions.
Some instructors may suggest that you avoid contractions in journalistic writing. On the other hand, contractions can help your writing seem more informal and inviting. They’re often used in this textbook to make the complexities of grammar seem less scary. Contractions may also be used in broadcast writing to resemble everyday speech.
Here’s advice from the Associated Press:
Avoid excessive use of contractions. Contractions listed in the dictionary are acceptable, however, in informal contexts where they reflect the way a phrase commonly appears in speech or writing.
We’ll (or We will) start this lesson with a practice question.
To avoid confusing your readers, be sure you understand how to use they’re, their and there.
Before we cover contractions in more detail, let’s (or let us) try a similar question with your and you’re.
Once again, be sure you understand how to use your and you’re so you won’t (or will not) confuse your readers.
Similarly, you should pay attention to the contraction we’re (for we are) as opposed to were and where. The following example may help:
Yesterday we didn’t know where we were supposed to be. Today we’re even more confused.
Yesterday we didn’t know where (associated with place) we were (past-tense being verb) supposed to be. Today we’re (contraction for we are) even more confused.
In contractions, you use an apostrophe to replace missing letters. Even if you opt not to use contractions in your own writing, you’ll (or you will) need to understand how to edit them in work by other writers.
If it helps, you can consult this list of contractions from EnglishStudyPage.com. You may see a few oddities on the list. For example, unless you study the history of grammar, it’s hard to understand why won’t is a contraction for will not.
OK, let’s move on. (Or if this were a formal conversation, I might write, “Let us move forward.”)
The contraction who’s can replace who is, but don’t confuse who’s with the possessive word whose.
The next question can clarify when to use it’s or its.
Once again, to avoid confusing your readers and editors, be sure you understand how to use its and it’s. We also covered its and it’s in a previous chapter about pronouns.
Now we’ll cover another common error to avoid.
You’ll (or You will) save you and your readers from potential confusion if you make a habit of spelling out could have, would have and should have.
Also, avoid ugly double contractions. Following is an example:
INCORRECT – She’d’ve spoken to reporters if her flight had arrived on time.
INCORRECT – She’d of enjoyed the party if her flight had arrived on time.
CORRECT – She would have enjoyed the party if her flight had arrived on time.
Here’s one final question for a closing review.
Review the content of this lesson as needed, and you can search online for additional practice with possessive pronouns and contractions.
MORE PRACTICE FOR PROFICIENCY
Below are additional questions based on this chapter. These questions may help you study for course assignments or a proficiency exam.
Usage Questions
WRITING EXERCISE
1. Compose a sentence that contains both its and it’s used correctly.
2. Compose a sentence that contains both whose and who’s used correctly.
3. Compose a sentence that contains both they’re and their used correctly.
4. In two tightly constructed sentences, explain your key takeaway from this chapter. Do not use any first-person pronouns (such as I, me, my or mine) in your writing.
