Can contractions always be used to replace their original words?
I was thinking about how "I am" can stand as a sentence but wondered why "I'm" doesn't sound right. I kind of came to the conclusion that noun-verb contractions (ex. I'm, they're, it's, she'll) can't end a sentence and always need something following them.
Here's an example:
I don't know what it is. <- sounds fine
I don't know what it's. <- what?
I don't know what it is for. <- fine
I don't know what it's for. <- also fine
So, is there a formal English rule that restricts how contractions can be used?
grammar usage contractions
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
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I was thinking about how "I am" can stand as a sentence but wondered why "I'm" doesn't sound right. I kind of came to the conclusion that noun-verb contractions (ex. I'm, they're, it's, she'll) can't end a sentence and always need something following them.
Here's an example:
I don't know what it is. <- sounds fine
I don't know what it's. <- what?
I don't know what it is for. <- fine
I don't know what it's for. <- also fine
So, is there a formal English rule that restricts how contractions can be used?
grammar usage contractions
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago
add a comment |
I was thinking about how "I am" can stand as a sentence but wondered why "I'm" doesn't sound right. I kind of came to the conclusion that noun-verb contractions (ex. I'm, they're, it's, she'll) can't end a sentence and always need something following them.
Here's an example:
I don't know what it is. <- sounds fine
I don't know what it's. <- what?
I don't know what it is for. <- fine
I don't know what it's for. <- also fine
So, is there a formal English rule that restricts how contractions can be used?
grammar usage contractions
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I was thinking about how "I am" can stand as a sentence but wondered why "I'm" doesn't sound right. I kind of came to the conclusion that noun-verb contractions (ex. I'm, they're, it's, she'll) can't end a sentence and always need something following them.
Here's an example:
I don't know what it is. <- sounds fine
I don't know what it's. <- what?
I don't know what it is for. <- fine
I don't know what it's for. <- also fine
So, is there a formal English rule that restricts how contractions can be used?
grammar usage contractions
grammar usage contractions
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
asked 8 mins ago
Catherine LiuCatherine Liu
111
111
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Catherine Liu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago
add a comment |
Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago
Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago
add a comment |
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Possible duplicate of Is there some rule against ending a sentence with the contraction "it's"?
– sumelic
6 mins ago
Generally speaking, you can't use a contraction if it's the only thing that appears in a sentence or it's the final word in a sentence. In other words, something should always follow a contraction. At least I think that's accurate.
– Jason Bassford
5 mins ago