How a sentence is built · CEFR A1 · Starting
Short forms — English sentence structure
Spoken English almost always shortens am, is, are, not and will. Writing them out in full sounds stiff or emphatic.
The shape
I am → I'm · do not → don't · she is → she's
Sound normal instead of like a textbook.
In Hindi
बोलचाल की अंग्रेज़ी में am, is, are, not और will लगभग हमेशा छोटे कर दिए जाते हैं।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The mistake to fix first
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
I amnot ready. | I'm not ready. "Am not" has no short form of its own — shorten "I am" instead. |
Short forms examples
Easiest first. Every sentence is authored, with the Hindi it comes from.
I'm coming.
मैं आ {रहा|रही} हूँ।
also correct: I am coming.
I'm going.
मैं जा {रहा|रही} हूँ।
also correct: I am going.
I'm listening.
मैं सुन {रहा|रही} हूँ।
That's fine.
यह ठीक है।
also correct: It is fine.
That's great.
बहुत अच्छा।
also correct: Very good.
I don't know.
मुझे नहीं पता।
Not now.
अभी नहीं।
Just a minute.
एक मिनट।
I've got it.
मैं समझ {गया|गई}।
also correct: I understand.
In a little while.
थोड़ी देर बाद।
Questions people ask
- What is the short forms used for?
- Spoken English almost always shortens am, is, are, not and will. Writing them out in full sounds stiff or emphatic. In practice: sound normal instead of like a textbook.
- How do you form the short forms?
- I am → I'm · do not → don't · she is → she's.
- What is the most common mistake with the short forms?
- Saying “I amnot ready.” instead of “I'm not ready.”. "Am not" has no short form of its own — shorten "I am" instead.
Where short forms fits
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
Short forms is a CEFR A1 structure — the starting band — and it belongs to how a sentence is built. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
CoCap turns this page into practice: Hindi sentence in, English sentence out, corrected one thing at a time. Free, no card.
Practise the short forms →