Contractions
A contraction is an abbreviated version of a word or words.
There are two main kinds:
Contractions formed by shortening a word or merging two words into one and replacing the missing
letter(s) with an apostrophe:
Examples:
 don't, can't,
shouldn't, he's
Contractions formed by compressing a word:
Examples:
Mr, Prof.,
Rev., Revd
(Note: These contractions normally only
attract a full stop (or period  ),
e.g., Prof., when the last letter of the contraction is
different to the last letter of the full word.)
Interactive example:
| Dr
Barton and Col. Gould
are not able to visit the Sgts'
Mess. [show me the contractions] |
|
Don't use contractions (like can't, doesn't etc.) in formal writing. Expand them
to the full versions. This is useful, if you're confused over its
and it's, because there is a simple 100% rule: never ever write it's.
Always expand it to it is or it has.
|
See also:
Glossary of grammatical terms
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