English contractions are formed by "blending" two words, of which at least one will be a grammatical item (an auxiliary verb, the copula, a pronoun, the negative particle etc) into one. Examples :
I am becomes Im
They would becomes theyd
Paul is becomes Pauls
Let us becomes lets
Does not becomes doesnt
Will not becomes wont
As these examples show, contractions involve elision (the dropping of one or more sounds) but may also involve other features - such as change in vowel quality in will not/wont or the non-standard is not/aint.
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