Qualitytime-ESL Podcast No s1

1 QualityTime-ESL Podcast No.9: Contractions

Hi! I am Marianne Raynaud, and I am here to help you improve your level of spoken English. QualityTime-ESL podcasts are aimed at people who have the basic vocabulary but have difficulty expressing themselves orally. The key is to listen to language you understand and repeat this language or listen to a stimulus and then transform it according to a model. In each podcast we will work on one or two of the basic structures you need to feel comfortable when speaking English. To download our written scripts, just go to our website QualityTime- ESL.com, however it is best to do the exercises WITHOUT looking at the scripts.

Today we will be working on: “Contractions”. If you don’t know the meaning of the words we use, please stop and look them up in your dictionary.

First the present tense of the verb “to be”. Listen and repeat.

I'm = I am You're = you are He's = he is She's = she is It's = it is We're = we are They’re = they are

Now I will give the contractions and you will give the full forms. Listen to the example.

I say: I'm You say: I am I say: You're You say: You are I say: He's You say: He is

Now you go on in the same way.

I'm I am You're You are He's He is She's She is It's It is We're We are They’re They are

Now I will give the full form and you will give the contraction.

I am I'm You are You're He is He's She is She's It is It's We are We're They are They’re

Let ‘s work on the present prefect again with the verb “to be”. Listen and repeat.

I've been = I have been You've been = you have been He's been = he has been She's been = she has been He's been = he has been It's been = it has been They’ve been = they have been

Now I will give the contractions and you will give the full forms. Listen to the examples:

I say: I've been You say: I have been I say: You've been You say: You have been I say: He's been You say: He has been

Now you go on in the same way.

I've been I have been You've been You have been He's been He has been She's been She has been It's been It has been We've been We have been They’ve been They have been Copyright 2007 QualityTime-ESL.com 3

I have been I've been You have been You've been He has been He's been She has been She's been It has been It's been We have been We've been They have been They’ve been

Now listen and repeat the future tense.

I'll be = I will be He'll be = he will be You’ll be = you will be They’ll be = they will be

Now repeat examples of the negative form in the present, present perfect or the future.

I’m not = I am not You’re not = you are not He’s not = he is not They’re not = they are not I've not been = I have not been You've not been = you have not been She's not been = she has not been They’ve not been = they have not been You won't be = you will not be I won't be = I will not be They won't be = they will not be

I am not I’m not You are not You’re not He is not He’s not They are not They’re not I have not been I've not been You have not been You've not been Copyright 2007 QualityTime-ESL.com 4 She has not been She's not been They have not been They’ve not been You will not be You won't be I will not be I won't be They will not be They won't be

Now let’s look at a few other tenses, which are more difficult. Listen and repeat.

Let’s go = let us go You'd agree = you would agree I'd known = I had known I'd have done it = I would have done it He must've done it = he must have done it You should've done it = you should have done it

Now I will give the contracted form and you will give the full form:

Let’s go Let us go You'd agree You would agree I'd known I had known I'd have done it I would have done it He must've done it He must have done it You should've done it You should have done it

Now I will give the full form and you will give the contracted form:

Let us go Let’s go You would agree You'd agree I had known I'd known I would have done it I'd have done it He must have done it He must've done it You should have done it You should've done it

Am I not? = Aren’t I? Repeat Aren’t I? Is he not? = Isn’t he? Are they not? = Aren’t they? Have you not been? = Haven’t you been? Has he not been? = Hasn’t he been? Will you come? = Won’t you come? Will he not come? = Won’t he come? Would you not agree? = Wouldn’t you agree? Had he not known about it? = Hadn’t he known about it? Should you not have done it? = Shouldn’t you have done it?

Now I will give the full form and you will give the contracted form. Be careful with the first one.

Am I not? Aren’t I? Is he not? Isn’t he? Are they not? Aren’t they? Have you not been? Haven’t you been? Has he not been? Hasn’t he been? Will you not come? Won’t you come? Will he not come? Won’t he come? Would you not agree? Wouldn’t you agree? Had he not known about it? Hadn’t he known about it? Should you not have done it? Shouldn’t you have done it?

Now listen and repeat.

Today we have studied the basic contractions. This was just an introduction. Latter on we will look at other examples such as “I’d rather” or “You’d better”. We will also be working on tags like; “He likes it, doesn’t he?” or “He told you, didn’t he?” or “He could do it, couldn’t he?

That is the end of today’s podcast. We encourage you to keep working at least ten minutes a day. And soon you will feel comfortable speaking English. Thank you for listening. Bye for now and don’t forget to keep smiling.