English Online
with Speak Method
speakmethod


Online Classes Pronunciation Facts R, Th, T and other sounds 500 Words Practice
Local Classes Business Communication TOEFL Prep ESL Stories
Contact us Vowel Sounds
 Grammar and Idioms Learn by Language

English Pronunciation: Contractions

Contractions are clearly reduced sounds. However, contractions are not informal. They are used all the time. In fact, American speakers think more in the reverse: we put the full word back when we want to be clear or need to stress the full word. For instance,

She'll be coming into work tomorrow.
She WILL be coming into work.

He couldn't get his car started.
He could NOT start his car.

To sound fluent, you want to pronounce contractions and use them regularly.
This table lists English contractions and how to pronounce them.


To Be
 Pronunciation
 To Have
 Pronunciation
 Will
 Pronunciation
 Had/Would
 Pronunciation
I'm
 IM
 I've
 IV
 I'll
 I(U)LL (same as "aisle")
 I'd
 ID (same as "eyed")
You're
 YOR
 You've
 YOOV
 You'll
 YOOL
 You'd
 YOOD
He's
 HEES
 He's
 HEES
 He'll
 HEEL
 He'd
 HEED
She's
 SHEES
 She's
 SHEES
 She'll
 SHEEL
 She'd
 SHEED
It's
 ITS
 It's
 ITS
 It'll
 I-dul
 It'd
 I-dud
We're
 WEE(U)R
 We've
 WEEV
 We'll
 WEEL
 We'd
 WEED
They're
 THĀ(U)R
 They've
 THĀV
 They'll
 THĀ(U)LL
 They'd
 THĀD

* Notice that a small "u" sound often occurs between a vowel and a final L or R sound. Also notice that "t" reduces to the light D with "it'll" and "it'd."


Contractions with "NOT"

Word
 Pronunciation
 Word
 Pronunciation
 Word
 Pronunciation
 Word
 Pronunciation
 Word
 Pronunciation
aren't
 A-runt
 doesn't
 DU-zunt
 can't
 CANT
 hasn't
 HA-zunt
 wasn't
 WU-zunt
isn't
 IZ-unt
 don't
 DONT
 couldn't
 CÖ-dunt
 hadn't
 HA-dunt
 weren't
 WER-unt
won't
 WONT
 didn't
 DI-dunt
 shouldn't
 SHÖ-dunt needn't
 NEE-dunt
 wouldn't
 WÖ-dunt

* Notice "s" sounds like "z" in the common words "is," "was," "has" and "does."

* To sound fluent, avoid "translating" contractions. If you read "he's," say "hees," not "he is." If you read "wouldn't," don't say "would not." Say "WÖ-dunt."



Continue Learning

Sign in to Speak Method

The American Accent

Pronunciation of 500 Words

Classes Online

Continue Learning

American Vowel Sounds

English Grammar and Idioms

ESL Stories

Return to Speak Method Home Page.