September 16, 2021

Contractions: you'd, where'd, etc.

11 minutes

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It's been a while since my last podcast. I've been busy! Today, for example, I was cutting some weeds in our back yard and I got stung twice by some sort of stinging insects. Yellow jackets, I think, although I'm not sure. That's the sort of adventure I could live without! I repaired the gear shifter on our snowblower yesterday, and today I replaced the blade on our lawn mower. Little jobs to get ready for autumn. There's always something that needs doing or fixing around the house.

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Anyway, with one thing or another, I've been really busy so I decided to let the podcasts run on their own for a while. But now I'm back, and in today's podcast, I'll give you some practice with contractions which we use all the time in spoken English.

We'll start with "you'd" which is the contracted form of either "you had" or "you would". Here are some examples.

1. You’d better come with me. [You had better…]
2. You’d learn English more quickly if you lived in an English speaking country. [You would…]
3. You’d more than enough time to finish eating. [You had…]
4. You’d be healthier if you got some exercise. [You would…]
5. I didn’t know you’d already seen that movie. [You had already seen…]
6. You’d learn Spanish more quickly if you practiced more. [You would…]

“Why are” can be contracted to “Why’re”.
7. Why’re you still awake? It’s late!
8. Why’re you still on the phone? I asked you to help bring in the groceries.
9. Why’re you spending money on candy? We need to buy food!

“Why did” can be contracted to “Why’d”.
10. Why’d you come home so late last night?
11. Why’d Mary move to New York?
12. Why’d Mr. Smith buy a new car? His Toyota is only two years old.

“Where did” can be contracted to “Where’d”.
13. Where’d you live before you moved here?
14. Where’d you learn to speak English so well?
15. Where’d they go on vacation last summer?