A short way of combining two words by omitting some of the letters.?

Answer 1

In traditional grammar, a contraction is the formation of a new word from two or more individual words. This often is a result of a common sequence of words, or, as in French, to maintain a flowing sound. However, contraction has gained a broader meaning both in linguistics and other areas of language research. Based on the latest definitions, contraction is shortening of a word, syllable, or word group by omission of internal letters. [ISO 4:1984]

In English, contractions are usually but not always either negations or combinations of pronouns with auxiliary verbs, and in these cases always include an apostrophe. Negations are generally in the form of doesn't for does not, or wouldn't for would not, where the apostrophe stands for the missing "o" in not (this is not always the case, as in won't for will not). The second category is generally in the form of pronoun + to be, as in "It's cold today" or "We're going downtown," where the apostrophe again stands for a missing vowel, either "i" or "a". The second category also often uses a form of to have, as in "He's gone to bed" or "We've finally gotten there." In this case, the apostrophe stands for the missing "h" plus "a". It should be noted, though, that only British English allows to have to contract when it is the primary verb (as with the phrase "I've a date today"). Although uncommon in written English, people often use complex contractions such as wouldn't've for would not have. Although these can look awkward in print, they are not necessarily incorrect. It is not acceptable in formal written English to use contractions such as "I've" or "can't."

The only commonly-used English contraction that does not fall into any of the above categories is "let's", a contraction of "let us" that is used in forming the imperative mood in the first-person plural (e.g. "Let's go[someplace]"). Use of the uncontracted "let us" typically carries an entirely different meaning (e.g. "Let us go[free]). "Let us" is rarely seen in the former sense and "let's" is never seen in the latter one.

Many people writing English confuse the possessive form of the pronoun it with its contractions. The possessive form has no apostrophe (its), while the contraction of it is or it has does have an apostrophe (it's). See List of frequently misused English words.

Outside the English contractions described above, contractions are virtually the same concept as portmanteaus.

Answer 2

List o' Common Contractions:
BE WILL WOULD HAVE HAD
I I'm
I am I'll
I will I'd
I would I've
I have I'd
I had
you you're
you are you'll
you will you'd
you would you've
you have you'd
you have
he he's
he is he'll
he will he'd
he would he's
he has he'd
he had
she she's
she is she'll
she will she'd
she would she's
she has she'd
she had
it it's (or 'tis)
it is it'll
it will it'd
it would it's
it has it'd
it had
we we're
we are we'll
we will we'd
we would we've
we have we'd
we had
they they're
they are they'll
they will they'd
they would they've
they have they'd
they had
that that's
that is that'll
that will he'd
that would that's
that has that'd
that had
who who's
who is who'll
who will who'd
who would who's
who has who'd
who had
what what's/what're
what is/what are what'll
what will what'd
what would what's
what has what'd
what had
where where's
where is where'll
where will where'd
where would where's
where has where'd
where had
when when's
when is when'll
when will when'd
when would when's
when has when'd
when had
why why's
why is why'll
why will why'd
why would why's
why has why'd
why had
how how's
how is how'll
how will how'd
how would how's
how has how'd
how had

WORDS DOUBLE CONTRACTION
she would have she'd've (colloquial)
it is not 'tisn't (archaic)

WORDS (negating a verb) CONTRACTION
is not isn't
are not aren't
was not wasn't
were not weren't
have not haven't
has not hasn't
had not hadn't
will not won't
would not wouldn't
do not don't
does not doesn't
did not didn't
cannot can't
could not couldn't
should not shouldn't
might not mightn't
must not mustn't

WORDS (woulda-shoulda-coulda) CONTRACTION
would have would've
should have should've
could have could've
might have might've
must have must've

WORDS (odd ones) CONTRACTION
of o'
of the clock o'clock
madam ma'am
never-do-well ne'er-do-well
cat-of-nine-tails cat-o'-nine-tails
jack-of-the-lantern jack-o'-lantern
will-of-the-wisp will-o'-the-wisp
it was 'twas (archaic)

Answer 3

Are you looking for the use of an apostrophe in a contraction?
As in shortening words such as:
I could not, should not, would not [homage to Dr. Seuss...]
to
I couldn't, shouldn't wouldn't.

In the above examples, the two words are put together to form a contraction, with the apostrophe holding the place of the 'o.'

Answer 4

A contraction

Answer 5

Short is the word because when you add an E and a R to it, it becomes "Shorter".

Answer 6

its called a contraction... like if u had the words was not...it would become wasn't.

Answer 7

contractions... example "is not" becomes "isn't"

Answer 8

contraction.....as in "isn't" for "is not"