Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[klafterreith]

I `ve

� haven`t

I `vn`t


Are these short forms okay?

[CP]

I've is OK for I have: I've never seen Istanbul. I've no more potatoes.

I haven't is OK for I have not: I haven't any more potatoes.

But I've never seen or heard of I'vn't, and I'm pretty sure if you use that contraction, you will surprise and maybe confuse people.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[redset]

Yeah sometimes you have a couple of options for contractions (she isn't/she's not) but you should only use one at a time. It's certainly possible that a local dialect somewhere might use I'ven't, but it would sound completely strange to everyone else.