Pronunciation of contractions

**IPA consonants**

A **contraction** is a short form that uses an apostrophe (to indicate that letters have been removed) to combine either the subject and an auxiliary verb, or an auxiliary verb and the word *not* in its contracted form (*-n't*).

## Vowel change

In several cases there is a change to the vowel sound - this may vary with dialect.

Affirmative contractions

we /iː/ are → we're /wɪər/
they /eɪ/ are → they're /ðeər/
you /uː/ are → you're /jʊər, jɔːr/
Negative contractions

cannot /æ/ → can't /kɑːnt,*BrE* kænt/*AmE*
shall /æ/ not → shan't /ʃɑːnt/*BrE*
do not → don't /dəʊnt/
will /ɪ/ not → won't /wəʊnt/ (an Old English contraction of *wonnot)*
## /z/ changed to /s/

In a few cases a /z/ sound is changed to /s/.

it is → it's /ɪts/
it has → it's /ɪts/
that is → that's /ðæts/
what is → what's
## Unwritten sounds

In some cases an unwritten sound is pronounced.

does not → doesn't /ˈdʌzənt/
has not → hasn't /ˈhæzənt/
is not → isn't /ˈɪzənt/
must not → mustn't /ˈmʌsənt/; Note that the "t" is not pronounced in the contraction
could have → could've /ˈkʊdəv/
should have → should've /ˈʃʊdəv/
would have → would've /ˈwʊdəv/
must have → must've /ˈmʌstəv/
it had → it'd /ˈɪtəd/
it would → it'd /ˈɪtəd/
## Silent e

A silent e may or may not become pronounced.

have → haven't /ˈhævənt/
are → aren't /ɑːrnt/
## Can't

It is very important to take care with the vowel change in "can't" as the final "t" is often lost in phrases such as "I can't tell the difference" and the only way for a listener to decide if the speaker has said "can" /kæn/ or can't" /kɑːnt/ may be through the vowel change (note that in General American there is no vowel change). To further complicate the issue, the verb "can" in "I can tell the difference" would probably be pronounced in a different weak form anyway, as /kən/, thus giving students three forms to contend with (/kæn, kən/ and /kɑːnt/*BrE*)

I can tell - I can't tell

* British English:

strong "can": /ˌaɪ kæn ˈtel, ˌaɪ kɑːn(t) ˈtel/
weak "can": /ˌaɪ kən ˈtel, ˌaɪ kɑːn(t) ˈtel/
* American English:

strong "can": /ˌaɪ kæn ˈtel, ˌaɪ kæn(t) ˈtel/
weak "can": /ˌaɪ kən ˈtel, ˌaɪ kæn(t) ˈtel/
In any case, it's always useful to remember that you can always fall back on the "full" form *cannot* in order to avoid any possible confusion.

## Homophones

In some cases two spoken forms are pronounced identically but are written differently (homophones).

Some words and contractions are often confused, in particular, possessive pronouns do not use an apostrophe:

Your ≠ You're

*You're going in your car?* (contraction of ***You are** going in your car?*)
Is often **incorrectly** written:
\**Your going in your car?* or \**Your going in you're car?*
Whose ≠ Who's

*Who's going in whose car?* (contraction of ***Who is** going in whose car?*)
Is occasionally **incorrectly** written:
\**Whose going in who's car?*
Its ≠ It's

*Where is the dog? It's gone to its kennel.* (contraction of *...**It has** gone to its kennel.*)
Is often **incorrectly** written:
\**Its gone to it's kennel*
Could've, not \*could of

See also Pronunciation exercises: "of" vs "off" § Homophones
**If in doubt use the expression without contraction.**

Other homophones involving contractions include the following: I'll, aisle, isle; I'd, eyed; he'll, heel; they're, their, there; we'd, weed; we'll, wheel.

## References

1. ↑ Mental Floss, Why Does "Will Not" Become "Won't"?