Verb To Be Contractions Advanced Exercises

Advanced contraction practice combines positive and negative short forms of to be. Positive forms include I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, and they're. Negative forms include isn't and aren't. With I, the normal negative short form is I'm not: "I'm not hungry." With he, she, and it, you can often choose between isn't and 's not: "She isn't here" or "She's not here."

The meaning of the sentence tells you whether the contraction should be positive or negative. "She's at work" is positive, but "She isn't at home" is negative. Clues such as "yet", "not ready", "Don't worry", or a second sentence can show that the first idea is false. Use aren't with you, we, they, and plural nouns: "They aren't ready yet." Use isn't with one person or thing: "The bus isn't here yet." These choices make everyday spoken English clearer and more natural, especially when giving updates, describing problems, or correcting wrong information in everyday conversations.