English Contractions - Improve Your Pronunciation of Contractions in English

Hi, I’m Maria. Welcome to Oxford Online English! In this lesson, you can learn about

嗨，我是Maria，歡迎來到Oxford Online English ！本節課裡，您會學到

the pronunciation of contractions. You’ll see how to make contractions, how to pronounce

縮讀字的發音規則，您會了解 怎樣縮讀，他們又是如何

them, and when to use contractions in English.

發音的，以及在英文裡什麼時候要用縮讀。

What are contractions?

什麼是縮讀？

Contractions are when we put two words together by making one word shorter.

縮讀是兩個字構成一個更短的字。

For example:

例如：

He is --> He’s They will --> They’ll

He is --> He’s They will --> They’ll

Do not --> Don’t

Do not --> Don’t

But which words can you make contractions from?

但哪些字可以縮讀構成一個更短的字呢？

Here are the words that can make contractions in English:

下面這些字在英文中可以縮讀：

am, are,

am, are,

is, will,

is, will,

would, have,

would, have

has, had.

has, had.

Let’s see an example in a sentence:

我們來看一個例句：

You are the nicest person I have ever met.

您是我見過的最好的人。

We can make two contractions here. Can you see where?

這句話裡，有兩個地方可以縮讀。 您知道是哪兩個地方嗎？

You can contract you are to you’re, and I have to I’ve.

you are可以縮讀成you're， I have縮讀成I've。

You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met. The pronunciation of contractions can change depending

You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met. 縮讀的發音速度可以根據

on how fast you’re speaking. The pronunciation can be quite clear and ‘textbook’:

您的語速而改變。您可以說得像課本一樣準確和清晰：

You’re the nicest person I’ve met.

You’re the nicest person I’ve met.

Or, the pronunciation can be faster and weaker:

或者縮讀部份可以說得更快、更弱：

You’re the nicest person I’ve met.

You’re the nicest person I’ve met。

This fast, weak pronunciation is very common.

這種速度和弱音很常見。

Let’s do another example:

我們再來看一個例句：

They will think he has gone completely mad!

他們會認為他已經徹底瘋了！

Can you see where we can make contractions? Here’s the answer:

您能看出句子裡哪個地方可以縮讀嗎？ 答案就是：

They’ll think he’s gone completely mad! Many English learners find contractions with

They’ll think he’s gone completely mad! 很多學英文的人會覺得縮讀

will difficult to pronounce.

很難發音。

Let’s practice quickly: say they’ll.

那我們現在就開始練習：跟我唸 they'll。

As you pronounce the vowel, /eɪ/, slide your tongue forward to add the /l/ sound.

當您發元音/eɪ/時， 向前滑動舌頭多發一個/l/音。

They’ll They’ll Now, try the full sentence:

They’ll, They’ll. 現在試著唸整個句子：

They’ll think he’s gone completely mad! Let’s try one more time: they’ll think he’s

They’ll think he’s gone completely mad! 我們再唸一次：they’ll think he’s

gone completely mad! Again, this time at natural speed: they’ll think he’s gone completely

gone completely mad! 這次，我們再用自然語速唸一遍: they’ll think he’s gone completely

mad! Let’s do one more example:

mad! 我們再做一個練習：

I am sure she would call if anything had happened.

I am sure she would call if anything had happened.

Here, you can make three contractions. Can you see them?

這個例句裡有三個地方可以縮讀。您找到了嗎？

We can make contractions with am, would and had:

他們是am, would 和 had:

I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. Try saying the sentence. Let’s do it together,

I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. 我們一起慢速唸一遍：

slowly: I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. Let’s try it once more, at natural

I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. 我們再用自然語速唸一遍：

speed: I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. Do you notice anything here? There

I’m sure she’d call if anything’d happened. 您有注意到什麼嗎？

are two things which we need to pay attention to.

這個例句裡有兩個地方要我們關注：

Firstly, different words (had and would), can have the same contraction: ‘d.

首先，兩個不同的字（had和would）都可以縮讀成：'d

Secondly, the pronunciation of the ‘d contraction is different in she’d and anything’d.

其次，'d在she'd和anything'd裡的發音是不一樣的。

Do you know why?

這是為什麼呢？

Let’s find out!

我們來看看！

Most contractions have two different pronunciations.

大多數縮讀形式都有兩種不同的發音。

The only contractions which never change are will and am. Contractions of will are always

但will和am 例外，他們的發音永遠只有一種。 所以，will縮讀唸’ll

pronounced ‘ll. Am is always ‘m.

am縮讀唸'm。

Contractions of are, is, would, have, has and had can have different pronunciations.

像are, is, would, have, has 和 had 這些字的縮讀就會有不同的發音。

Why does the pronunciation change? It mostly depends on the sound before the contraction.

為什麼發音會變呢？ 這大部份取決於縮讀形式之前的字的發音。

Sometimes, it depends on the sound after the contraction.

有時候，也取決於縮讀形式之後的字的發音。

For would, have, and had, it depends whether the sound before the contraction is a vowel

would, have, 和 had這幾個字，他們的發音 就要看縮讀前面的音是元音

or a consonant.

還是輔音。

The contraction of have is pronounced /v/ after a vowel sound:

當have在元音之後縮讀時，‘ve唸/v/音：

I’ve, we’ve,

I’ve, we’ve,

they’ve.

they’ve。

After a consonant, the contraction of have is pronounced /əv/:

如果他在輔音之後，'ve唸/əv/音：

could’ve, would’ve,

could’ve, would’ve,

might’ve.

might've。

The same rule is true for would and had. The contraction is pronounced /d/ after a vowel,

這個規則同樣適用於would和had。 他們的縮讀在元音之後，’d唸/d/音，

and /əd/ after a consonant:

在輔音之後，唸/əd/音：

I’d, she’d,

I’d, she’d,

But:

但是,

it’d, Tom’d.

像it’d, Tom’d

There’s one exception to this: if someone’s name ends with a vowel sound, we usually treat

有一個例外：如某人的名字最後一個音 是元音，我們通常

it like a consonant for contractions. So, if you want to say:

會把它當做縮讀形式前面的輔音。所以，當您想說：

Sophie’d help you if you asked her. Even though Sophie ends with a vowel sound,

Sophie’d help you if you asked her 時， 因為Sophie是人名，所以即使它

we generally pronounce the contraction as /əd/, because it’s a name.

最後一個音是元音， 一般縮讀會唸成/əd/。

Notice how I said ‘usually’ and ‘generally’? It’s because this isn’t exactly a rule.

請注意我講的是“通常”和“一般”情況下， 因為這準確地說不算是一種規則。

It’s more common, and I advise you to follow it, but not all native speakers speak this

這種發音很常用，我建議您這樣做， 但同時要知道不是所有母語人士

way all the time.

都會這樣一直說。

Next, let’s look at is and has.

接下來，我們看看is和has。

The contraction of is and has is pronounced /z/ after most sounds:

大多數情況下，is和has的縮讀 都唸/z/音。

he’s, there’s,

he’s, there’s,

Dave’s.

Dave's。

However, after /t/, /p/, /k/, /f/ or /θ/, the contraction of is or has is pronounced

但在/t/, /p/, /k/, /f/或/θ/音之後， 縮讀會唸

/s/.

/s/。

it’s, Seth’s,

it’s, Seth’s,

top’s.

top’s。

We don’t contract is or has after the sounds /tʃ/, /ʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /s/ or /z/, because

另外，is和has在/tʃ/, /ʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /s/ 或 /z/這些音之後不縮讀。

the contraction would be impossible to pronounce clearly.

因為縮讀後，字根本無法清晰唸。

That leaves are. Are is a bit different, because the pronunciation depends on the sound after,

最後一個——are。are有些不同，它的 縮讀唸法取決於他之後的音，

not before. Look at an example:

而不是之前的音。我們來看一個例子：

We’re a good team. We’re the best team.

我們是一個出色的團隊，我們是最好的團隊。

Before a vowel sound, the contraction of are has a /r/ sound. Before a consonant sound,

在元音之前，縮讀唸/r/。

the contraction is pronounced as a schwa sound: /ə/.

在輔音之前，唸schwa音/ə/。

Now, you’ve seen common contractions and how to pronounce them.

現在，您學習了一些常用的縮讀形式以及唸法。

Next, let’s look at the pronunciation of negative contractions.

接下來，我們學習否定形式的縮讀唸法。

If you have an auxiliary verb plus not, you can put the words together and contract not

如果助動詞+not，您可以合併放在助動詞之後，

to n’t.

並縮讀n't。

For example:

例如：

do not --> don’t is not --> isn’t

do not --> don’t is not --> isn’t

have not --> haven’t would not --> wouldn’t

have not --> haven’t would not --> wouldn’t

This isn’t a full list.

這裡沒有一一列出全部的清單。

There’s one which is a bit strange: will not contracts to won’t.

另外，還有一個字是比較奇怪的： will not 的縮讀是won’t.

Also, you can’t make a negative contraction with am not. You can’t say amn’t. Why

還有，am not沒有縮讀，您不能說amn't。

not? I can’t even say amn’t. Saying amn’t is really difficult. That’s why.

為什麼呢？那是因為amn't 這個形式很難 唸，甚至唸不出來。

Let’s try a few examples. Look at this sentence. Where can you make contractions?

下面，我們做一些練習。請看下面的例句，哪個地方是可以縮讀的？

He does not understand why they did not help him.

He does not understand why they did not help him.

We can contract this to:

我們可以這樣縮讀：

He doesn’t understand why they didn’t help him.

He doesn’t understand why they didn’t help him.

Let’s practice together. Say the sentence after me, slowly: He doesn’t understand

接著，請大家跟著我一起慢速唸： He doesn’t understand

why they didn’t help him. Now, let’s try again, at natural speed: He doesn’t understand

why they didn’t help him. 現在，我們嘗試用 自然語速再唸一次： He doesn’t

why they didn’t help him. Let’s do another:

understand why they didn’t help him.

They are not happy that the company has not told them anything.

They are not happy that the company has not told them anything.

There are two contractions here. Can you see them?

這裡有兩個地方縮讀，您找到了嗎？

They aren’t happy that the company hasn’t told them anything. Repeat the sentence after

They aren’t happy that the company hasn’t told them anything.請大家

me: They aren’t happy that the company hasn’t told them anything. Try once more: They aren’t

跟我唸：They aren’t happy that the company hasn’t told them anything.再來一次：

happy that the company hasn’t told them anything.

They aren’t happy that the company hasn’t told them anything.

We’ll do one more example:

我們再做例句練習：

You should not have said yes if you could not do it.

You should not have said yes if you could not do it.

Where are the possible contractions here?

這個例句裡的哪個地方要縮讀呢？

You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it.

You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it.

Repeat the sentence after me: You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it.

請跟我重複唸一次：You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it.

Try once more: You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it. Sometimes with negative

多練習一次：You shouldn’t have said yes if you couldn’t do it.有時，

contractions, there are two possible contractions. For example:

否定含義的縮讀有兩種形式。

They are not here yet.

例如：他們還沒到這裡。

You could contract this to:

您可以縮讀：

They aren’t here yet.

They aren’t here yet.

Or:

或者是：

They’re not here yet.

They’re not here yet.

In most places, the first option is more common. That means you contract not.

在很多地方，第一種是很常見的， 也就是說您縮讀not。

However, both are correct, and it doesn’t matter which one you use.

但這兩種形式都是正確的， 您用哪一個都可以。

So now you know how to form and pronounce common contractions, but when should you use them?

現在您已經知道怎樣縮讀以及怎樣唸了， 但是您什麼時候用他們呢？

Generally, you should use contractions when

一般來說，您說英文時就要用了。

you speak. Using contractions sounds more natural in spoken English.

在英文口說中用縮讀會更自然。

Look at an example from earlier:

我們看之前的一個例句：

He does not understand why they did not help him.

He does not understand why they did not help him.

If you’re speaking to someone, and you say this sentence without the contractions, it

如果您和別人說話時不縮讀，

sounds a bit robotic and unnatural. Try it—say the sentence out loud with no contractions.

聽起來有點像讀稿機，不自然。 您可以試著用這種方式大聲的唸出來。

Doesn’t it sound a bit strange? Pronouncing the contractions makes it sound

有沒有一點怪怪的？所以， 用縮讀方式會讓句子聽起來

much more natural:

更自然。

He doesn’t understand why they didn’t help him.

He doesn’t understand why they didn’t help him.

So, are there any cases where you shouldn’t use contractions?

那麼，什麼時候您不能縮讀？

If you’re speaking more formally, you might use fewer contractions.

在正式場合，我們盡量少用。

If you want to emphasise something, you shouldn’t use contractions. For example:

當您想強調某件事，不縮讀。

That is not what I said. He is the best player.

例如：我不是那麼說的。他是最棒的球員。

I have called several times.

我已經打過很多次電話了。

You need to use the full, uncontracted form if you need to emphasise the verb or negative.

如果您想強調某個動作或否定含義時， 需要用完整的無縮讀方式。

There’s one more case where you can’t use contractions: don’t use positive contractions

還有一種您不能縮讀的狀況：從句或句末，

at the end of a sentence or clause.

不要用肯定含義的縮讀。

For example, if someone asks you:

例如，有人問您：

Is he ready?

Is he ready?

You should answer:

您應該回答：

Yes, he is.

Yes, he is.

And not:

而不是：

Yes, he’s.

Yes, he’s.

However, negative contractions can go at the end of a sentence or clause, so it’s fine

但是，句尾或從句裡可以用否定形式的縮讀，

to say:

No, he isn’t.

可以這樣說：

No, he isn’t.

What about written English?

那麼，在英文寫作裡又怎樣呢？

You can use contractions in informal writing; you probably shouldn’t use contractions

如果是非正式的書寫，可以用縮讀形式， 但如果是很正式的寫作，例如論文，

in formal writing, like an essay.

就不應該用縮讀形式。

Also, many contractions are used in speech but not generally in writing. For example,

還有就是，演講裡可以用縮讀，但文章裡一般不用。例如

you can say:

您可以說：

These’re the chocolates that your friends’ve sent us.

These’re the chocolates that your friends’ve sent us.

This’d be a good time to think about it.

思考這個問題正式時候。

Contractions like these’re, friends’ve and this’d aren’t often used in written

像是these're, friends've和this'd這些縮讀就不會常出現在

English, even in very informal writing.

英文寫作裡，甚至是不太正式的 寫作裡也不會用。

If you’re not sure if you can use a contraction or not when you’re writing, then just use

如果您在寫作時不確定是否要用縮讀形式，

the full form.

那就不用。

There are some more contractions like this, which are common in spoken language, but which

像這樣的縮讀還有很多，通常是在口說裡，

aren’t written down.

但不會寫下來。

Let’s take a look:

我們看看：

Here’s a sentence:

有這樣一個例句：

They would have enjoyed it, but they would not have stayed long.

They would have enjoyed it, but they would not have stayed long.

What contractions can you make here?

您可以在這用什麼縮讀？

Well, would contracts to ‘d, and have contracts to ‘ve. What does that give us? In the first

好，would縮讀唸'd，have縮讀唸've。我們得到了什麼？

part, you should say:

在首部份，您要說：

They’d’ve enjoyed it… Listen once more: They’d’ve enjoyed it...

They’d’ve enjoyed it…聽多一次： They’d’ve enjoyed it…

Try one more time, a little faster: They’d’ve

再聽一次，這次快一點： They’d’ve enjoyed it…

enjoyed it… What about the second part of the sentence?

那後面的部份呢？

Not contracts to n’t. Have contracts to ‘ve. So, you say:

這裡not縮讀唸n't，have縮讀唸‘ve。 所以，您會說：

…but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. Try saying the whole sentence with the contractions:

…but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. 試著唸一下有縮讀的整句話：

They’d’ve enjoyed it, but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. Try once more, at natural speed:

They’d’ve enjoyed it, but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. 自然語速再來一次：

They’d’ve enjoyed it, but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. Do these contractions look weird?

They’d’ve enjoyed it, but they wouldn’t’ve stayed long. 覺得這些縮讀怪怪的嗎？

If so, it’s because we almost never write them.

如果覺得怪怪的，那是因為我們從來不會這樣寫。

What other contractions are like this?

還有哪些類似的縮讀？

You can contract did to ‘d in speaking, but not in writing:

您能在口說時縮讀did唸’d，但是寫作裡不可以：

Why did you tell her? --> Why’d you tell her?

Why did you tell her? --> Why’d you tell her?(您為什麼告訴她了？)

When did you get here? --> When’d you get here?

When did you get here? --> When’d you get here?（您什麼時候到這裡的？）

How did you like it? --> How’d you like it?

How did you like it? --> How’d you like it?（您覺得怎樣？）

You can contract will have to ‘ll’ve and would have to ‘d’ve:

您可以縮讀will have唸'll've， would have 縮讀唸‘d've：

They will have left by now. --> They’ll’ve left by now.

They will have left by now. --> They’ll’ve left by now.（現在他們應該已經離開了。）

We would have been late anyway. --> We’d’ve been late anyway.

We would have been late anyway. --> We’d’ve been late anyway.（無論如何，我們都會遲到。）

You can contract not have after a modal verb to n’t’ve:

您可以把情態動詞之後的not have 縮讀唸'n't've：

They could not have helped. --> They couldn’t’ve helped.

They could not have helped. --> They couldn’t’ve helped.（他們不可能幫過忙。）

I would not have said anything. --> I wouldn’t’ve said anything.

I would not have said anything. --> I wouldn’t’ve said anything.（我什麼都沒說。）

Remember: use these contractions when you speak, but not in writing!

記住：您只能在口說裡縮讀，在寫作裡不可以！

You can find more free English lessons on our site: Oxford Online English dot com.

您可以在我們的Oxford Online English dot com裡找到更多的免費課程。

Thanks for watching!

感謝觀看！

See you next time!

再見！