VOCABULARY – Informal Contractions

VOCABULARY – Informal (spoken) Contractions

In English, as in most other languages, there are ways to shorten groups of words that commonly go together. We don’t do this in writing, just when we speak. They are called informal or spoken, contractions.

• ain’t – am not/is not/are not – I ain’t gonna lie.
• cos – because – I’m happy cos we won.
• cuppa – cup of – I’d love a cuppa tea.
• dunno – don’t know – I dunno what to say.
• gimme – give me – Can you gimme a ride?
• gonna – going to – I ain’t gonna lie.
• gotta – have got to – I gotta get some sleep.
• hadda – had to – She hadda go.
• hafta – have to – I hafta leave early.
• hasta – thas to – He hasta do her homework.
• kinda – kind of – It was kinda funny.
• lemme – let me – ILemme tell you a story.
• outta – out of – I gotta get outta here.
• sorta – sort of – I ‘m sorta hungry.
• wanna – want to – I wanna hold your hand.
• whatcha – what are you – Whatcha gonna do?
• ya – you – I love ya!