English Conversation: Are YOU Using Contractions and Reductions Correctly?

Today we’re breaking down everything you need  to know to sound natural speaking English. This  

is conversational English, but Americans use  an English that’s pretty conversational even  

in business settings and more formal  settings, with reductions and idioms.

To help you hear what to do,  we’re going to show you what  

NOT to do. Click here or in the video  description to get a free cheat sheet,  

the sounds of American English, it’s a great  reference tool and even I use it quite a bit.

We’re going to jump in with conversation  one of four today, going line by line. The  

basic thing you’re going to learn is, you do  not want to pronounce everything slowly and  

clearly. That is not natural American  English. It sounds a little robotic  

and overly formal. And when we do that, we’ll  dress up for you. We want you to hear how  

different that is from the natural, conversational  English you’ll hear when we’re not dressed up.

Ok, here’s the first conversation, then we’ll  talk more about this exercise. Line by line,  

we’ll compare fully and clearly  pronounced with a more natural English.

Hi Rachel, I am going to Starbucks.

Hey Rach, I’m going to Starbucks.

Hi becomes hey. Not a reduction but maybe a more  casual greeting. Tom uses Rach instead of Rachel,  

a reduction of my name, a common nickname.  I am becomes I’m. The word two is reduced.  

We have the flap T and the schwa,  going to, going to. Going to Starbucks.

Hi Rachel, I am going to Starbucks.

Hey Rach, I’m going to Starbucks.

Hi Rachel, I am going to Starbucks.

Hey Rach, I’m going to Starbucks.

Do you want to come along?

Do you wanna come along?

Do you. Do is reduced so much that we almost don’t  hear it. Just a light D sound. The vowel in you  

isn’t quite a pure ooh either, it’s a little more  relaxed heading towards the schwa, djə, djə, djə.  

Do you wanna. ‘Want to’ reduces to  ‘wanna’. Do you wanna, do wanna.

Do you want to come along?

Do you wanna come along?

Do you want to come along?

Do you wanna come along?

No. Thank you, Tom.

No thanks.

Thank you becomes thanks. One less syllable.

No. Thank you, Tom.

No thanks.

No. Thank you, Tom.

No thanks.

I have got too much I want to get done here.

I’ve got too much I wanna get done here.

I have becomes I’ve.

Got to, just one t between  those two words. Got to, got to.

Want to becomes wanna,  

Wanna. Get. We use a stop T sound here because  the next sound is a consonant. Get done. Get done.

I have got too much I want to get done here.

I’ve got too much I wanna get done here.

I have got too much I want to get done here.

I’ve got too much I wanna get done here.

Okay. I will be back soon.

Okay. I’ll be back soon.

I will becomes I’ll reduced to [ɔl].

Okay. I will be back soon.

Okay. I’ll be back soon.

Okay. I will be back soon.

Okay. I’ll be back soon.

Oh, I would love a coffee though.

Oh, I’d love a coffee though.

I would becomes I’d.

Oh, I would love a coffee though.

Oh, I’d love a coffee though.

Oh, I would love a coffee though.

Oh, I’d love a coffee though.

Medium?

That will be fine.

Medium?

That’ll be fine.

That will becomes That’ll. A two-syllable  word with stress on the first syllable. The  

t at the end of that is a flap t because it  comes between two vowels. That’ll, that’ll.

Medium?

That will be fine.

Medium?

That’ll be fine.

Medium?

That will be fine.

Medium?

That’ll be fine.

Great. See you in a bit.

Great. See you in a bit.

Great. With a stop T. This is  because it’s the end of the sentence.  

You is more relaxed here. Not an ooh vowel but  more of a schwa. Seeya, seeya and finally bit  

with a stop T. Bit, bit, again because  it’s coming at the end of the sentence.

Great. See you in a bit.

Great. See you in a bit.

These four conversations focus on three major  

points that make American  English sound more natural.

1 - Using contractions. In general,  using contractions in spoken English  

is more natural than not doing a contraction.  If you find in conversation you’re saying I AM,  

I WILL, I WOULD, and so on,  try to shift that to I’m, I’ll,  

Notice that one sounds like the word ALL. All,  I’ll be there soon. I’d, I’d, I’d like that.

2 - Using Reductions. Many of the most  common words in American English are not  

fully pronounced. The word THE is usually not  pronounced. “the”, it’s pronounced the. It’s the  

best, the. The word FOR is usually pronounced  fr. This is for work. This is probably THE  

most important thing for sounding natural and  having easy-to-understand rhythm when speaking.  

If the concept is totally new to you, don’t worry,  you’ll see us break down lots of examples here.

And finally,3 - T pronunciations. It’s usually  not ttt, a True T. We drop it, flap it,  

and make it a stop of air a lot, and  you'll see examples of that here.

15-second shout-out to my  channel members here on YouTube,  

to my subscribers on Facebook, your support means  a lot, funds these videos, and gets you perks like  

exclusive audio lessons. Click join, click  join to learn more. Thank you so much.

Let’s look now at the second conversation.  

All of these are with my friend and  colleague Tom, discussing everyday things.

Rachel, I have not seen you in weeks. Rach, I haven’t seen you in weeks.

Here, Tom said Rach instead of Rachel. Just  shortening my name, a nickname that people  

sometimes use. Have not becomes haven’t  when we have an n apostrophe t contraction,  

we don’t release the t. haven’t instead  of haven’t. Haven’t. I haven’t seen.

Rachel, I have not seen you in weeks. Rach, I haven’t seen you in weeks.

Rachel, I have not seen you in weeks. Rach, I haven’t seen you in weeks.

Where have you been?

Where've you been?

Where have becomes where’ve. Where’ve.

Where have you been?

Where've you been?

Where have you been?

Where've you been?

Florida. Did not I tell you that I would be gone?

Florida. Didn’t I tell you that I’d be gone?

Did not becomes didn’t. Didn’t I. Again with an n  apostrophe t contraction, we don’t release the t.  

Didn’t. That. The vowel is reduced to the  schwa. The final T is a flap t because the  

next word begins with a diphthong. That  I’d, that I’d. I would contracts to I’d.

Florida. Did not I tell you that I would be gone?

Florida. Didn’t I tell you that I’d be gone?

Florida. Did not I tell you that I would be gone?

Florida. Didn’t I tell you that I’d be gone?

Yes, but you have been there all this time?

Yeah, but you’ve been there all this time?

Yes becomes yeah. Not really a  reduction, just a more casual word, yeah.

But has a stop t. So when we don’t do a full  release of the true t, it’s a smoother line.  

You have becomes you’ve.

Yes, but you have been there all this time?

Yeah, but you’ve been there all this time?

Yes, but you have been there all this time?

Yeah, but you’ve been there all this time?

Well, I have had a bunch of weddings to go to.

Well, we had a bunch of weddings to go to.

Oops. I messed this one up by saying  I have had in the first dialogue  

and we had in the second. Can you guess  what I would reduce I have had to?

You’ve got it. I’ve had, I’ve had.

Well, I have had a bunch of weddings to go to.

Well, we had a bunch of weddings to go to.

Well, I have had a bunch of weddings to go to.

Well, we had a bunch of weddings to go to.

They have all been in Florida?

They’ve all been in Florida?

They have becomes they’ve.

They have all been in Florida?

They’ve all been in Florida?

They have all been in Florida?

They’ve all been in Florida?

I would swear that we have  had this conversation already.

I’d swear that we’ve had  this conversation already.

I would becomes I’d. I’d swear. The d is  light. That. The vowel changes to the schwa  

and we end with a stop t because the  next word begins with a consonant.  

That, that. That we. We have becomes we’ve.

I would swear that we have  had this conversation already.

I’d swear that we’ve had  this conversation already.

I would swear that we have  had this conversation already.

I’d swear that we’ve had  this conversation already.

I guess it is possible I forgot.

I guess it’s possible I forgot.

It is becomes it’s.

I guess it is possible I forgot.

I guess it’s possible I forgot.

I guess it is possible I forgot.

I guess it’s possible I forgot.

Or I am having déjà vu.

Or I’m having déjà vu.

I am contracts to I’m.

Or I am having déjà vu.

Or I’m having déjà vu.

Or I am having déjà vu.

Or I’m having déjà vu.

No. You are right. We have talked about this.

No. You’re right. We’ve talked about this.

You are becomes you’re. Right. We  use a stop t here, you’re right,  

you’re right. We have becomes we’ve.

No. You are right. We have talked about this.

No. You’re right. We’ve talked about this.

No. You are right. We have talked about this.

No. You’re right. We’ve talked about this.

It’s actually so unnatural to pronounce all T’s  as True T’s that Tom missed one, even though we  

were trying so hard to make each T a true T. But  even when trying, he couldn’t say ABOUTTTTT this.  

He accidentally did the Stop T, which is what  we do in natural conversation. About̚ this.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

Welcome home anyway. No reductions,  contractions or t pronunciations.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

Welcome home anyway.

Thanks.

We’ve done two conversations so far, let’s  recap our contractions. These conversations  

weren’t long, and yet I count  17 instances of contractions.

I AM becomes I’m.

Hey Rach, I’m going to Starbucks.

I HAVE becomes I’ve.

I’ve got too much I want to get done here.

I WILL becomes I’ll.

Okay. I’ll be back soon.

I WOULD becomes I’d

Oh, I’d love a coffee though.

THAT WILL becomes that’ll, with a Flap T.

Medium? That’ll be fine.

HAVE NOT becomes haven’t.

Rach, I haven’t seen you in weeks.

WHERE HAVE becomes where’ve.

Where’ve you been?

DID NOT becomes didn’t.

Florida. Didn't I tell you that I’d be gone?

I WOULD becomes I’d, again.

Florida. Didn't I tell you that I’d be gone?

YOU HAVE becomes you’ve.

Yeah, but you’ve been there all this time?

I HAVE becomes I’ve, again.

THEY HAVE becomes they’ve.

They’ve all been in Florida?

We have a third I WOULD becoming I’d.

I’d swear that we’ve had  this conversation already.

WE HAVE becomes we’ve.

I’d swear that we’ve had  this conversation already.

IT IS becomes it’s.

I guess it’s possible I forgot.

Another I am contraction, I’m.

Or I’m having déjà vu.

YOU ARE becomes you’re.

No. You’re right we’ve talked about this.

WE HAVE again becomes we’ve.

No. You’re right we’ve talked about this.

There were lots of reductions, too.

TO becomes “de” - going duh.

Hey Rach, I’m going to Starbucks.

DO YOU becomes [djə].

Do you wanna come along?

WANT TO becomes ‘wanna’

You wanna come along?

YOU becomes [jə]

Great. See you in a bit.

THAT becomes ðət̚.

Didn’t I tell you that I’d be gone?

And Stop T’s

GOT TOO becomes Got̚ too

I’ve got too much I want to get done here.

GET DONE becomes Get̚ done

I’ve got too much I want to get done here.

GREAT becomes great̚

That’ll be fine.

Great. See you in a bit.

BIT becomes bit̚

That’ll be fine.

Great. See you in a bit.

BUT becomes ‘but’.

Yeah, but you’ve been there all this time?

RIGHT becomes right̚

No. You’re right we’ve talked about this.

And Flap T’s

THAT I become that I.

Didn’t I --

Two short conversations, but so many instances,  in natural spoken English, of using contractions,  

reductions, and changing out the  True T ttt sound for something else.

Let’s look at the next conversation.

We are out of bananas and milk.

We’re out of bananas and milk.

We are was contracted to we’re.

Out of. The t here became a  flap T connecting the two words.  

A t will be a flap t when it comes between two  vowels. Out of, out of. That helps to make that  

smoother. I reduced the word and to just the schwa  n sound nn, nn.Bananas and. Bananas and milk.

We are out of bananas and milk.

We’re out of bananas and milk.

We are out of bananas and milk.

We’re out of bananas and milk.

I will run to the store.

I’ll run to the store.

I will contracted to I’ll reduced to I’ll.

To the. To was reduced. To the store. To the  store. So that it just has the schwa sound.

I will run to the store.

I’ll run to the store.

I will run to the store.

I’ll run to the store.

I do not think it will be open.

I don’t think it’ll be open.

Do not becomes don’t. As with all n apostrophe t  contractions, we don’t generally release that t.  

So it’s no don’t but don’t.  Don’t with more of a stop sound.

It will contracted to it’ll, it’ll. So now  this is a two-syllable word and the t becomes  

a flap because it comes between two vowels.  It’ll, it’ll. Stress on the first syllable.

I do not think it will be open.

I don’t think it’ll be open.

I do not think it will be open.

I don’t think it’ll be open.

Why not?

Why not?

Why not? A stop T on the word  not. No release. Not, not.

Why not?

Why not?

Why not?

Why not?

Because it is Sunday.

Cause it’s Sunday.

Because was reduced to cause. It is contracted it  it’s. Cause it’s, cause it’s. Cause it’s Sunday.

Because it is Sunday.

Cause it’s Sunday.

Because it is Sunday.

Cause it’s Sunday.

I am pretty sure they are open today.

I’m pretty sure they’re open today.

I am becomes I’m. Pretty. That has  a flap t sound because the double t  

comes between two vowel sounds. Pretty.

They are becomes they’re. Today. The beginning  t here was a flap t instead of a true t.  

This can happen on the words today, tomorrow  and too open today. Open today. So when we have  

a flap t instead of a true t, there’s no stop  of air and the line is more smooth. Open today.

I am pretty sure they are open today.

I’m pretty sure they’re open today.

I am pretty sure they are open today.

I’m pretty sure they’re open today.

It was not open last Sunday.

It wasn’t open last Sunday.

It has a stop t, it wasn’t. It  wasn’t. That’s because the next  

word begins with a consonant sound. And  was not of course contracted to wasn’t,  

wasn’t. And again with that n apostrophe t,  there’s no release of the t sound. Wasn’t.

It was not open last Sunday.

It wasn’t open last Sunday.

It was not open last Sunday.

It wasn’t open last Sunday.

So I am guessing it will not be open today.

So I’m guessing it won’t be open today.

I am becomes I’m. It will not. We have a stop t in  it. And will not is contracted. Won’t, it won’t.

The t at the end of won’t does not release. I  actually made a true t at the beginning of today  

which is opposite of what Tom  did, Tom made it a flap t.  

Both are right. Just make sure that the first  syllable is much shorter that the second syllable.

So I am guessing it will not be open today.

So I’m guessing it won’t be open today.

So I am guessing it will not be open today.

So I’m guessing it won’t be open today.

But today is not a holiday.

But today isn’t a holiday.

But today. Just one t sound there. But today  is not becomes isn’t. Isn’t. No t release.

But today is not a holiday.

But today isn’t a holiday.

But today is not a holiday.

But today isn’t a holiday.

Was not last Sunday Easter?

Wasn’t last Sunday Easter?

Was not becomes wasn’t. Wasn’t. Again, we don’t  release the t in this n apostrophe t contraction.

Last Sunday. Here we drop the t.  

It’s common to drop the t when it comes  between two other consonant sounds.  

Here, it comes between two s sounds. Last  Sunday, last Sunday. So you can drop the T.

Was not last Sunday Easter?

Wasn’t last Sunday Easter?

Was not last Sunday Easter?

Wasn’t last Sunday Easter?

Oh, that is right.

Oh, that’s right.

That is becomes that’s. That’s.

Oh, that is right.

Oh, that’s right.

Oh, that is right.

Oh, that’s right.

So, bananas, milk...

So, bananas, milk...

So, bananas, milk... Nothing reduces or contracts  here and we have no t’s to make flaps or stops.

Were not there other things we had wanted?

Weren’t there other things we’d wanted?

Were not, weren’t. Weren’t.

We had becomes we’d.

Wanted. The d almost disappears  here. We'd, we’d, we’d wanted.

Were not there other things we had wanted?

Weren’t there other things we’d wanted?

Were not there other things we had wanted?

Weren’t there other things we’d wanted?

I will text you if I remember any.

I’ll text you if I remember any.

I will becomes I’ll. Reduced to I’ll, I’ll.

I will text you if I remember any.

I’ll text you if I remember any.

I will text you if I remember any.

I’ll text you if I remember any.

Cool. I will be right back.

Cool. I’ll be right back.

I will again becomes I’ll.

Right. Here, it’s made with the stop t  because the next word begins with a consonant.  

Right back. Right back.

Cool. I will be right back.

Cool. I’ll be right back.

Cool. I will be right back.

Cool. I’ll be right back.

What do you think, are you comfortable with  all these changes we make in spoken English?  

Sometimes my students report that they feel  really sloppy, lazy, even drunk when doing  

this. Like they’re slurring their speech. But all  of these characteristics are, to native speakers,  

clear English. So something that’s  NOT this becomes less clear.

Let’s look at our last conversation.

What movie do you want to watch? What movie do you wanna watch?

The first time through, Tom made a true t at the  end of what. What movie, what movie. The second  

time, he made that a stop t because the next sound  is a consonant. What movie, what movie. That makes  

it a little more smooth. The first time Tom said  want to, making a full t at the end of want and  

fully pronouncing to the second time he combined  these into wanna. Less choppy than want to.

What movie do you want to watch? What movie do you wanna watch?

What movie do you want to watch? What movie do you wanna watch?

I cannot watch a movie, I have got a date.

I can’t watch a movie, I’ve got a date.

The first time I said cannot. The second time  I contracted that. Can’t, can’t. Notice I’m  

not releasing the t. Can’t but rather can’t. I  cut off the airflow to make it a stop ending.  

Can’t. To make it different from can where the  voice would continue. Can’t watch. Can’t watch.

I contracted I have to I’ve. Then I  made a flap t between got and uh. Gotta,  

gotta. That linked those two words together  and helped to smooth it out. Got a, gotta.

I cannot watch a movie, I have got a date.

I can’t watch a movie, I’ve got a date.

I cannot watch a movie, I have got a date.

I can’t watch a movie, I’ve got a date.

Who is the date with?

Who’s the date with?

Here, Tom made one simple adjustment  using the contraction who’s

Who is the date with?

Who’s the date with?

Who is the date with?

Who’s the date with?

You would like to know.

You’d like to know.

Here, I’m contacting you would  to you’d, you’d. Also the word  

to. I’m reducing that to t with  the schwa. This helps me make it  

shorter so I have more rhythmic contrast  between stressed and unstressed syllables.

You would like to know.

You’d like to know.

You would like to know.

You’d like to know.

Are not you going to tell me?

Aren’t you gonna tell me?

The first time Tom said are not. Basically  no one does that. We all use the contraction.  

Because the contraction is followed by the word  you, Tom made that a ch sound instead of a t.  

Aren’t you, aren’t you. You don’t have to do this  but you will hear many native speakers to it,  

aren’t you. Then Tom took going  to and reduced it to gonna.

Are not you going to tell me?

Aren’t you gonna tell me?

Are not you going to tell me?

Aren’t you gonna tell me?

He is a social worker.

He’s a social worker.

Here, I simply contracted he is to he’s.

He is a social worker.

He’s a social worker.

He is a social worker.

He’s a social worker.

Could not we all watch the movie together?

Couldn’t we all watch the movie together?

Here, Tom contracted could not to couldn’t.  Again, we’re not releasing the t in this  

n apostrophe t contraction.  Couldn’t we, couldn’t we.

Could not we all watch the movie together?

Couldn’t we all watch the movie together?

Could not we all watch the movie together?

Couldn’t we all watch the movie together?

I do not think he would want to.

I don’t think he’d want to.

Do not contracted to don’t. Again,  no release of that t. Don’t think,  

don’t think. And he would contracted to he’d,  he’d. Also, the second time I did not say want to  

with two t sounds. Want to,  want to. Just one t sound.

I do not think he would want to.

I don’t think he’d want to.

I do not think he would want to.

I don’t think he’d want to.

Does not he like movies?

Doesn’t he like movies?

Here we contract does not to doesn’t,  doesn’t. Again with that n apostrophe  

t not making a t sound. Doesn’t,  doesn’t he. Does not he like movies?

Does not he like movies? Doesn’t he like movies?

Does not he like movies?

Doesn’t he like movies?

It is not that. He just would not want to.

It isn’t that. He just wouldn’t want to.

Listen to all those true T’s that  changed. It isn’t that. Flap t,  

stop t, stop t. Is not is  contracted to isn’t. Isn’t.  

In just, I dropped the t. We often do that  between consonants and here, it’s between  

the s of just and the w of wouldn’t. Of course  I contracted would and not to wouldn’t. The t  

in want and the t in two are blended together  and we get just one true t. Want to, want to.

It is not that. He just would not want to.

It isn’t that. He just wouldn’t want to.

It is not that. He just would not want to.

It isn’t that. He just wouldn’t want to.

We have got other plans.

We’ve got other plans.

We have is contracted to we’ve. The  t in got is turned into a flap t  

because it comes between two vowels and we use  it to link got and other. Got other, got other.

We have got other plans.

We’ve got other plans.

We have got other plans.

We’ve got other plans.

But we would have a great time.

But we’d have a great time.

The t in but becomes a stop t because the next  word begins with a consonant. But we, but we. We  

would is contracted to we’d and notice how quick  and light the d in we’d and the h in have are.

But we’d have a great time.

Great time. You only hear that t once.

But we would have a great time.

But we’d have a great time.

But we would have a great time.

But we’d have a great time.

I would not be the third wheel, Promise.

I wouldn’t be the third wheel, promise.

Would not is contracted to wouldn’t  and we don’t release that t.

I would not be the third wheel, Promise.

I wouldn’t be the third wheel, promise.

I would not be the third wheel, Promise.

I wouldn’t be the third wheel, promise.

Tom, should not you go have a  date tonight with your wife?

Tom, shouldn’t you go have  a date night with your wife?

Should not sounds much better as the contraction  

shouldn’t. T not released like all the other  nt contractions. The t in date and night  

both stops because the next sounds are  consonants. Your is reduced to yer, yer wife.

Tom, should not you go have a  date tonight with your wife?

Tom, shouldn’t you go have  a date night with your wife?

Tom, should not you go have a  date tonight with your wife?

Tom, shouldn’t you go have  a date night with your wife?

That would be better.

That’d be better.

That and would contract to become that’d so the  ending t in that is a flap t and we add the schwa  

d, that’d. In better, I made those flap ts  because they come between two vowels. Better.

That would be better.

That’d be better.

That would be better.

That’d be better.

She is at rehearsal tonight.

She’s at rehearsal tonight.

She is is contracted to she’s. She’s at.  The word at reduces to the schwa and stop  

t, at, at, at. At rehearsal. She’s at rehearsal.

She is at rehearsal tonight.

She’s at rehearsal tonight.

She is at rehearsal tonight.

She’s at rehearsal tonight.

Oh I get it.

Oh I get it.

Get it. We connect those two words with  a flap t at the end of get. Get it,  

get it. It’s much more smooth. Also, notice the  final t in it is a stop t. Get it, get it. Get it.

Oh I get it.

Oh I get it.

Oh I get it.

Oh I get it.

You should not invite yourself on dates though.

You shouldn’t invite yourself on dates though.

Should not becomes shouldn’t. No  released t. The ending t of invite  

was made a stop t. Invite. That’s because the  next word began with a consonant. Invite yourself.

You should not invite yourself on dates though.

You shouldn’t invite yourself on dates though.

You should not invite yourself on dates though.

You shouldn’t invite yourself on dates though.

It is not polite.

It’s not polite.

It’s not polite. Contracting it and is and did  you notice the stop t at the end of polite?

It is not polite.

It’s not polite.

It is not polite.

It’s not polite.

You are right, Sorry. I will see you later.

You’re right, Sorry. I’ll see you later.

You and are contract to you’re  which Tom reduced to yer.  

You’re right. I and will become I’ll reduced  to I’ll. And the vowel in you is relaxed a bit  

so it’s closer to the schwa. I’ll see you,  I’ll see you later. Later with a flap t.

You are right, Sorry. I will see you later.

You’re right, Sorry. I’ll see you later.

You are right, Sorry. I will see you later.

You’re right, Sorry. I’ll see you later.

Have fun.

Have fun.

Have fun. No options for  contractions or reductions here.  

On my channel, I go deep on all of these topics:  T pronunciations, reductions, contractions,  

the rhythm that makes natural American English.  If you want to go beyond learning and move into  

training, check out my online courses at  RachelsEnglishAcademy.com where I take you  

step by step, through the process of making these  habits in your spoken English. Keep your learning  

going now with this video, and don’t forget to  subscribe with notifications on here on YouTube,  

I love being your English teacher. That’s it,  and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.