ESL Lesson: Even More Contractions

Here are even more examples of contractions:


Gonna


Gonna is a slang term and very informal contraction for the words going to. There is no apostrophe in this slang word. Consider the following sentences.
I am going to the store to buy new ink cartridges for the printer.
I'm gonna go to the store to buy new ink cartridges for the printer.




I've/They've/We've

I've/They've/We've are all contractions of pronouns and the word have. The letters "ha" are replaced with an apostrophe(') and the space between the words is eliminated. Consider the following sentences.
I have had a headache all morning.
I've had a headache all morning. 


They have a large budget to work with this year.
They've got a large budget to work with this year.


We have enjoyed spending time with you.
We've enjoyed spending time with you.


I'll/He'll/She'll/We'll/They'll

I'll/He'll/She'll/We'll/They'll are all contractions of pronouns and the word will. The "i" in "will" is replaced by an apostrophe ('), and the space between the two words is eliminated. Consider these following sentences.
I will be back tomorrow morning.
I'll be back tomorrow morning.


He will write a letter in reply to Mr. Jones.
He'll write a letter in reply to Mr. Jones.


She will interview the job applicants this afternoon.
She'll interview the job applicants this afternoon.


We will take a break from work in fifteen minutes.
We'll take a break from work in fifteen minutes.


They will take a flight to London next Thursday to attend the international conference. 
They'll take a flight to London next Thursday to attend the international conference. 




Shouldn't


Shouldn't is a contraction of the words should and not. The "o" in "not" is replaced by an apostrophe ('), and the space between the two words is eliminated. Consider these following sentences.

You should not interrupt others as they speak, because it is considered rude behavior.
You shouldn't interrupt others as they speak, because it is considered rude behavior.

I hope these explanations help you understand the concept of contractions better.


Do you have any other questions or comments about this or any other ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news!


If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

Kingston University USA
Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
Facebook Page
Twitter
Youtube

ESL Lesson: More Contractions

Here are some more examples of contractions:

I'm

I'm is a contraction of the words I am. The “a” is replaced by an apostrophe (‘), and the space in between the two words is eliminated. Consider the following two sentences.

I am going to jog in the park this afternoon.

I'm going to jog in the park this afternoon.

You're

You're is a contraction of the words you are. The “a” is replaced by an apostrophe (‘), and the space in between the two words is eliminated. Consider the following two sentences.

You are going to receive a phone call from Ms. Smith tonight.

You're going to receive a phone call from Ms. Smith tonight.

They're

They're is a contraction of the words they are. The “a” is replaced by an apostrophe (‘), and the space in between the two words is eliminated. Consider the following two sentences. 

They are studying to improve their English language skills. 

They're studying to improve their English language skills. 

He's/She's/It's

He's/She's/It's are contractions of pronouns and the word is. The "i" is replaced by an apostrophe ('), and the space in between the two words is eliminated. Consider the following sentences.

He is going on vacation next week.

He's going on vacation next week.

She is graduating from medical school next Monday.

She's graduating from medical school next Monday.

It is a cold and bitter day outside.

It's a cold and bitter day outside.

I hope these explanations help you understand the concept of contractions better. Remember that contractions are informal and that these are general contractions. We’ll post even more on other contractions in the future. Do you have any other questions or comments about this or any other ESL subject? Leave them in the comment section and we will answer them. Stay tuned for more free advice on this and other subjects as well as promotions and news! If you want individual tutoring and help in learning English, contact Kingston University USA today!!

Kingston University USA
Live Locally. Learn Globally.
Official Website
Facebook Page
Twitter
Youtube

Fraser Institute's BC Elementary School Rankings Show Which Schools Improving, Falling Behind in Academics

This article is from Market Watch The Wall Street Journal

The Fraser Institute today published its annual British Columbia elementary school performance report, showing which schools across the province have improved, or fallen behind, in terms of reading, writing, and math over the past five years.

"Our report card is the only objective, reliable tool that parents have to compare the academic performance of their child's school over time and to that of other schools in their community," said Peter Cowley, Fraser Institute director of school performance studies.

"The Fraser Institute's school report card is the only source for long-term, provincewide school performance data that helps parents monitor the performance of their child's school and help educators identify key areas for improvement in their classrooms."

The Report Card on British Columbia's Elementary Schools 2012 highlights school success stories in every corner of the province, from Sooke to Sparwood. For example, Burnaby's Montecito Elementary School, where ESL students account for 38.5 per cent of total enrollment and the average parental income is less than $37,000, ranks among the top 10 per cent of elementary schools BC-wide in academic achievement. Sparwood's Frank J. Mitchell Elementary School, where the average parental income is almost $20,000 below the average for all schools, ranks among the top 15 per cent of elementary schools in the province.

The 20 schools showing the fastest academic improvement over the past five years includes 11 public schools where parental incomes are below average. At one of these schools, ESL students account for 57.2 per cent of the total student population; at another, 11 per cent of students are special needs. The complete list follows.

"This shows that academic excellence is possible in every school, regardless of the personal and family circumstances of its student population. Without provincewide testing and the Fraser Institute report card, measuring academic improvement and identifying success stories like these would be impossible," Cowley said.

"But the teachers' union doesn't want parents to be able to compare schools based on how well they're doing academically. That's a great disservice to parents, and most importantly, to British Columbia's children."

The Report Card on British Columbia's Elementary Schools 2012 rates 860 public and independent elementary schools across the province based on 10 key indicators using data from provincewide testing, known as the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA), mandated by the BC Ministry of Education.

The report card also includes key contextual information about each school, including parents' average income, the percentage of ESL students, and the percentage of special needs students. Results of the report card are available in an interactive and searchable format or as a free PDF at www.compareschoolrankings.org .

Data contained in this year's report card also shows that 18.4 per cent of FSA tests written in 2011 scored below provincial expectations, down from 20.1 per cent in 2010.

"While there has been some improvement over the previous year, almost one in five FSA tests written by BC elementary school students still failed to meet the provincial standard for learning. As always, the teachers' union wants to prevent the public from hearing about that. Are they afraid that parents and taxpayers will demand better?" Cowley said.

Parents have shown great interest in the report card since its inception in 2003. Last year alone, 604,000 individual school reports and school comparisons on BC elementary schools were downloaded by parents and others from www.compareschoolrankings.org . A 2008 COMPAS poll of more than 1,000 BC parents found overwhelming support for the BC Ministry of Education's provincewide testing policy and for the idea that parents should be able to use the results of those tests to compare schools.

"Education is a top priority for British Columbians, and the Fraser Institute report card is the only source for impartial, provincewide data that shows whether schools have improved or declined in terms of reading, writing, and math over the past five years," Cowley said.

"If the teachers' union has its way, parents will be left in the dark about whether BC schools are meeting basic academic standards. Allowing the public to see whether schools are getting better or worse in terms of academics is the only way to ensure that students' needs are being put first. We need provincewide testing to make sure that happens."