Contractions and How We Say Them — We'll, He'll, Gonna, Shoulda

📖Read the Lesson: Contractions in Speech

InfoShort words, real sounds

A contraction joins two words and makes them shorter. An apostrophe ( ' ) shows where letters are missing: we will → we'll, they are → they're, do not → don't. Native speakers use contractions all the time in conversation. Many contractions sound exactly like other English words. Tap any 🔊 word to hear it.

Why learn this? If you know that we'll sounds like wheel and he'll sounds like heal, you will understand fast speech better, and you will sound more natural.

Remember: same sound ≠ same spelling. In writing, you must choose the right word: They're here. / Their car. / Over there.

Part 1 — Contractions that sound like other words

Contraction	Full form	Sounds like	Example sentence
	we will		We'll call you tonight. · The car needs a new wheel.
	he will		He'll be here soon. · The cut will heal. · My shoe has a high heel.
	I will		I'll help you. · The rice is in aisle 5.
	we have		We've finished. · She can weave baskets.
	we would / we had		We'd like two coffees. · Pull that weed out of the garden.
	he would / he had		He'd like to come. · Heed the warning. (= pay attention to)
	they are		They're late. · Their car is red. · Park over there.
	you are		You're right. · Is this your phone?
	it is / it has		It's cold. · The cat is eating its food.
	who is / who has		Who's ready? · Whose bag is this?

Part 2 — Pronunciation tips

Ending	How to say it	Examples
'll	A “dark” L. Lift the back of your tongue. Don't say a full “will.”	(“IT-ul”, 2 syllables)
're	Just an /r/ sound at the end. In fast speech, we're can sound like were.
've	A short /v/ sound. Touch your top teeth to your bottom lip.
'd	A short /d/ sound. It can mean would or had.
's	/s/ after voiceless sounds; /z/ after voiced sounds. It can mean is or has.	/s/: · /z/:
n't	The final /t/ is very light — sometimes you can't hear it at all.

Careful — can / can't: Because the /t/ in can't is light, listen to the vowel and stress. In “I can swim,” can is short and weak (“kn”). In “I CAN'T swim,” can't is long and strong. Also, won't (= will not) rhymes with don't — it does not sound like want.

Part 3 — Informal spoken forms (slang contractions)

In fast, relaxed speech, some words blend together. You will hear these in movies, songs, and with friends. They are OK in casual speech and text messages, but don't use them in formal writing, job applications, or school essays.

Informal	Full form	Example
	going to (+ verb)	I'm gonna call my mom.
	want to	Do you wanna get lunch?
	(have) got to = must	I gotta go. My bus is here.
	have to	We hafta work on Saturday.
	should have / could have / would have	You shoulda told me! · I coulda helped you.
	kind of / sort of (= a little)	I'm kinda tired.
	lot of / out of	That's a lotta food! · Get outta here!
	let me / give me	Lemme help you. · Gimme a minute.
	(I) don't know	“Where's Paulo?” “I dunno.”
	what are you / what have you	Whatcha doing?

Common mistakes: Shoulda means should have — never write “should of.” Gonna only works before a verb: “I'm gonna eat” ✔ but “I'm ~~gonna~~ the store” ✘ (say “I'm going to the store”). And don't forget the helper verb: “I'm gonna…” not “~~I gonna~~…”.

Mini-dialogue

Joaquín: Did you hear that? He said, “We'll be late.” I thought he said “wheel”!

Svetlana: Ha! They sound the same. You have to listen to the whole sentence.

Joaquín: And what's “gonna”? It's not in my dictionary.

Svetlana: It's “going to.” People say it all the time, but we don't write it in essays.

Joaquín: OK. I shoulda asked you sooner!

🧩Matching — Short Form & Full Form

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Match each short form with its full form. Rows and answer choices are shuffled each time the page loads.

Part A — Contractions

Part B — Informal spoken forms

🧠Same Sound, Different Word

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All the choices sound the same (or almost the same). Choose the correct spelling for each sentence.

1. going to love this restaurant.

2. Is this jacket? I found it on the chair.

3. The dog hurt paw at the park.

4. coming to the party tonight?

5. Don't worry about Hamid. I'm sure feel better tomorrow.

6. The doctor said the cut on my hand will in about a week.

7. call you when we get home.

8. My bike has a flat tire, so I need a new .

9. On the airplane, I'd like a seat on the , please.

10. lived in this city for six years.

❓Multiple Choice

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Choose the best answer.

1. Which word sounds the same as he'll?

A. hillB. healC. hell

2. What is the full form of shoulda?

A. should ofB. should haveC. should had

3. “She's finished her homework.” What does 's mean here?

A. isB. hasC. was

4. “I'd go with you if I had time.” What does 'd mean here?

A. wouldB. hadC. did

5. Which sentence is correct in casual speech?

A. I'm gonna the store.B. I'm gonna call my mom.C. I gonna call my mom.

6. Where is it OK to use wanna?

A. in a job application letterB. in a text message to a friendC. in an essay for class

✏️Cloze — Paragraphs with Word Bank and Hints

Score 0 filled · 0/0 correct

Complete the paragraphs. The full form is in (parentheses) after each blank — write the short form. Click a blank, then click a word in the word bank — or just type. Use 🔎 for a “starts with…” hint. Then read the paragraphs out loud.

Word Bank (tap to fill)

We'llIt'sThey'reI'llLet'swon'tWe'veThey'llgonnadunnowannagottaLemmeshouldakinda

Part A — A Trip to the Lake (contractions)

Paulo and his wife, Mei, are planning a weekend trip. “ (We will) leave early on Saturday morning,” Paulo said. “ (It is) a three-hour drive.” Mei checked the weather on her phone. “ (They are) saying it will be sunny, so (I will) pack our sunglasses.” Paulo smiled. “ (Let us) take the kids, too. They (will not) want to miss it.” Mei agreed. “ (We have) never taken them to the lake. (They will) love it!”

Part B — Text Messages Between Friends (informal forms)

Hamid: Hey! What are you (going to) do tonight?
Oksana: I (don't know). Maybe watch a movie. Do you (want to) come over?
Hamid: Sure, but I (have got to) finish my homework first.
Oksana: No problem. (Let me) know when you're ready.
Hamid: OK. I (should have) started it this morning. It's (kind of) long!

✔️True / False

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Decide if each sentence is true or false.

1. We'll and wheel can sound the same.

TrueFalse

2. They're, their, and there sound the same but have different meanings.

TrueFalse

3. Shoulda is short for “should of.”

TrueFalse

4. Gonna is very common in conversation, but we don't usually write it in formal writing.

TrueFalse

5. It's and its mean the same thing.

TrueFalse

6. In “He's been to Canada twice,” 's means “is.”

TrueFalse

🔢Sequencing — A Phone Call and a Trip to the Store

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Write numbers 1–4 to put the steps in order. The rows are shuffled each time the page loads. Then read each story out loud with natural contractions.

Part A — Svetlana Works Late

Svetlana calls her sister and says, “I'm going to be late tonight.”

Her sister answers, “That's OK. We'll wait for you.”

At 8:00, Svetlana finishes work and texts, “I'm on my way!”

When she arrives, her sister says, “You're finally here! Let's eat.”

Part B — Tariq Goes Shopping

Tariq opens the fridge and thinks, “It's empty. I gotta go shopping.”

He texts his friend Beatriz: “Wanna come to the store with me?”

Beatriz replies, “Sure! Gimme ten minutes to get ready.”

After they shop, Tariq says, “Thanks for coming. Lemme buy you a coffee.”

💬“For Example” Practice

TaskFree production

Complete each sentence and give at least one example. Try it yourself first — click 💡 Hint only if you need an idea.

Sentence: “Some contractions sound like other English words.”
For example:
For example, we'll sounds like wheel, and he'll sounds like heal.
Sentence: “The contraction 's can mean two different words.”
For example:
For example, in “She's tired,” 's means is, but in “She's left,” 's means has.
Sentence: “People use informal forms when they talk with friends.”
For example:
For example, they say “I'm gonna leave” or “Do you wanna eat?”
Sentence: “Some words sound the same, so we must be careful when we write them.”
For example:
For example, you're and your sound the same: “You're late.” / “Your bag is here.”

🗣️Discussion, Writing and Role Play

TaskSpeaking and writing

Discussion / Writing

Have you ever misunderstood someone because of a contraction or a fast spoken form? What happened?
Where do you hear words like gonna and wanna most — at work, on TV, in songs, or with friends?
Does your first language have contractions or short spoken forms? Give an example.
Write three sentences about your plans for next weekend. Use I'll, we'll, or I'm going to.
Write the same short message twice: once to your boss (formal) and once to a friend (informal, with gonna/wanna/gotta).

Role Play — Making Plans with a Friend

Practice with a partner. Use the contractions and informal forms naturally. Then change three details (the day, the place, the food) and perform it again.

Student A: Hey, whatcha doing on Saturday?
Student B: I dunno yet. Why?
Student A: We're gonna have a barbecue at the park. Wanna come?
Student B: Sure! I'll bring some drinks. What time's it gonna start?
Student A: Around noon. We've already got the food, so don't worry about that.
Student B: Great. I gotta work in the morning, but I'll be there by one.
Student A: Perfect. It'll be fun. See you there!

Challenge: Find every contraction and informal form in the dialogue and say the full form.

📖Read the Lesson: Contractions in Speech

🧩Matching — Short Form & Full Form

🧠Same Sound, Different Word

❓Multiple Choice

✏️Cloze — Paragraphs with Word Bank and Hints

✔️True / False

🔢Sequencing — A Phone Call and a Trip to the Store

💬“For Example” Practice

🗣️Discussion, Writing and Role Play

🔐Answer Key (Teacher)