Contractions

1. aren't - are not

2. can't - cannot
3. couldn't - could not
4. didn't - did not
5. doesn't - does not
6. don't- do not
7. hadn't - had not
8. hasn't - has not
9. haven't- have not
10.he'd - he had; he would
11.he'll- he will; he shall
12.he's- he is; he has
13.I'd- I had; I would
14.I'll- I will; I shall
15.I'm- I am
16.I've - I have
17.isn't - is not
18.let's- let us
19.mightn't - might not
20.mustn't- must not
21.shan't - shall not
22.she'd - she had; she would
23.she'll - she will; she shall
24.she's - she is; she has
25.shouldn't - should not
26.that's - that is; that has
27.there's - there is; there has
28.they'd - they had; they would
29.they'll - they will; they shall
30.they're - they are
31.they've- they have
32.we'd - we had; we would
33.we're - we are
34.we've - we have
35.weren't - were not
36.what'll - what will; what shall
37.what're - what are
 38.what's - what is; what has
39.what've - what have
40.where's - where is; where has
41.who's - who had; who would
42.who'll- who will; who shall
43.who're - who are
44.who's - who is; who has
45.who've- who have
46.won't - will not
47.wouldn't - would not
48.you'd - you had; you would
49.you'll - you will; you shall
50.you're - you are
51.you've - you have

Negative Contractions - examples

aren't --- are not --- Example: They aren't coming next week.
can't --- cannot --- Example: I can't understand you.
couldn't --- could not --- Example: He couldn't get his shoes on!
didn't --- did not --- Example: We didn't visit Rome. We went straight to Florence.
doesn't --- does not --- Example: He doesn't play golf.
don't --- do not --- Example: They don't like cheese.
hadn't --- had not --- Example: I hadn't thought of that!
hasn't --- has not --- Example: She hasn't telephoned yet.
isn't --- is not --- Example: She isn't listening to you.
mustn't --- must not --- Example: Children mustn't play with fire.
needn't --- need not --- Example: You needn't worry about that.
shouldn't --- should not --- Example: You shouldn't smoke cigarettes.
wasn't --- was not --- Example: I wasn't joking when I said that.
weren't --- were not --- Example: They weren't invited to the party.
won't --- will not --- Example: I won't be able to attend the conference.
wouldn't --- would not --- Example: She wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at the
party.
There are many words that are time clues; some can be used to indicate a
number of tenses, for instance that something happened in the past or that it will
happen in the future. If you learn to recognize these time clues, you will find
them very helpful. Note that some time clues can be used with more than one
verb tense and also that this table is not a complete listing of all the time clues
that can be used with all of the tenses
 English for life – sensations of English language

  Past Present Future

Simple Simple Past Simple Present Simple Future
  yesterday every morning / day / etc. tomorrow
last year/ month/ etc. always tonight
before usually next week/month/etc.
for five frequently soon
weeks/days/etc. sometimes in the future
one year/ month ago
Progressive Past Progressive Present Progressive Future progressive
  while now when
when right now after
this week/minute/etc. as soon as
before
Perfect Past Perfect Present Perfect Future Perfect
  before until now by the time you go
already since (somewhere)
by the time ever by the time you do
until then/last never (something)
week/etc. many times/ already
after weeks/years/etc.
for three hours/
minutes/etc/
Perfect Past Perfect Present Perfect Future Perfect
Progressive progressive Progressive Progressive
  before for the past year/ month/ by the time
for one etc. for ten days/weeks/etc.
week/hour/etc. for the last 2 months/ by
since weeks/etc.
up to now
for 6 weeks/hours/etc.
since

Tenses - Time Clues

English for life foundation –
waves
Time Clues and Verb Tense
Active Verb Tenses
  Past Present Future
Simple An action that ended at a An action that exists , is A plan for future action.
point in the past. usual, or is repeated.
  cooked cook / cooks will cook
(time clue)* e.g. He cooked yesterday. e.g. He cooks dinner e.g. He will cook
every Friday. tomorrow.
Progressive An action was happening An action that is An action that will be
be + main verb (past progressive) when happening now. happening over time, in
+ing another action happened the future, when
(simple past). something else happens.
  was / were cooking am / is / are cooking will be cooking
(time clue)* e.g. He was cooking when e.g. He is cooking now. e.g. He will be cooking
the phone rang. when you come.
Perfect An action that ended before An action that happened An action that will end
have + main another action or time in at an unspecified time in before another action or
verb the past. the past. time in the future.
  had cooked has / have cooked will have cooked
(time clue)* e.g. He had cooked the e.g. He has cooked many e.g. He will have cooked
dinner when the phone rang. meals. dinner by the time you
come.
Perfect An action that happened An action occurring over An action occurring over
Progressive over time, in the past, time that started in the time, in the future, before
have + be + before another time or past and continues into another action or time in
main verb + ing action in the past. the present. the future.

  had been cooking has / have been cooking will have been cooking
(time clue)* e.g. He had been cooking e.g. He has been cooking e.g. He will have been
for a long time before he for over an hour. cooking all day by the
took lessons. time she gets home.

Saman kularatne

English for life foundation – waves

*Time clues: these are words that give some information about when an action occurs. Some
examples are:

yesterday     simple past

every day simple present
tomorrow simple future
while past progressive
now present progressive
.