1.在口语中，很多时态有紧缩形式，这也反映在书面语中，如：
I am waiting for your answer.
可紧缩为I'm waiting for your answer
I shall not be away long.
可紧缩为I shan't be away long.
2 英语中主要的紧缩形式可归纳如下：
紧缩形式 完全形式 例句
'm am I'm walking.
're are We're running.
's is, has He's on the way but she's got home.
'll shall, will We'll go to the UK next year.
'd should,would I'd like to take it.
had He'd better not go.
ain't am not I'm right, ain't I?
aren't are not They aren't busy.
isn't is not It isn't my pen.
hasn't has not He hasn't finished it.
won't will not I won't die.
shan't shall not We shan't give it up.
wouldn't would not Tom wouldn't leave.
shouldn't should not You shouldn't say no.
hadn't had not They hadn't done the homework when I came in.
didn't did not I didn't believe them then.
don't do not I don't know.
doesn't does not It doesn't matter.
3.情态动词的否定形式也常用紧缩形式:
can not—can't
could not—couldn't
must not—mustn't
need not—needn't
dare not—daren't
may not 一般认为没有紧缩形式。
might not紧缩形式为mightn't，但用得很少。
