In this Pronunciation episode of Aussie English I show you guys how natives like contracting HAVE onto the pronouns I, YOU, WE and THEY.

Pronunciation: Contracting HAVE onto I, YOU, WE & THEY

G’day guys. Welcome to this episode of Aussie English. Today we’re going to be working on contracting the word HAVE onto the pronouns I, YOU, WE and THEY. So, I HAVE becomes I’VE, YOU HAVE becomes YOU’VE, WE HAVE becomes WE’VE and THEY HAVE becomes THEY’VE. So, HAVE as I’m sure most of you, if not all of you, know is the plural form of the verb TO HAVE in the present tense. And yeah, today we’re just going to practice it with these four pronouns, and we’ll do HAS with its respective pronouns in another episode.

So, just to start guys we’ll do a little listen and repeat exercise where I’ll say the uncontracted form followed by the contracted form for I HAVE, YOU HAVE, WE HAVE and THEY HAVE each five times. So, listen and repeat after me guys and just practice that pronunciation of both these uncontracted and the contracted forms. So, here we go.

Listen and repeat:

I have – I’ve x 5

You have – You’ve x 5

We have – We’ve x 5

They have – They’ve x 5

So, that should be pretty easy guys. Just practice that, you know, do it from time to time until you get used to the different pronunciations of the uncontracted and the contracted versions, and eventually it’s going to become second nature. You won’t have to think about it. You’ll just do it.

So, as usual let’s go and try and do a substitution exercise where I’m going to say a series of sentences using the uncontracted forms I HAVE, YOU HAVE, WE HAVE, THEY HAVE and I want you to listen to the sentence and then repeat the contracted forms. So, I’VE, YOU’VE, WE’VE and THEY’VE. If it’s too difficult to start with, as I always say, you can just treat this as a listen and repeat exercise where you can just listen to each version of the uncontracted and contracted sentences and practice your pronunciation, but if you want to treat it as an exercise where you have to think and practice and anticipate the contraction then listen to the first sentence I say and contract it and say it aloud before I’ve said the answer, effectively.

So, in the first substitution exercise here, guys, I want you to focus on and practice the form HAVE + GOT instead of HAVE + THE PAST PARTICIPLE. So, that’s obviously a different grammar tense. We’ll practice that in the following one. But in the first one here I want you to focus on HAVE GOT + SOMETHING. So, to have a noun, to have a thing. And then also HAVE GOT + TO DO SOMETHING. So, HAVE GOT + A VERB, which means you need to, you have to, you must do something.

So, let’s get started on the substitution exercise guys.

Substitution exercise: have + got

I have got a new car.

I’ve got a new car.

You have just got here.

You’ve just got here.

I have got to leave soon.

I’ve got to leave soon.

I have only got one sister.

I’ve only got one sister.

You have got to be kidding me*.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

They have got several children.

They’ve got several children.

We have got a two-hour train trip.

We’ve got a two-hour train trip.

You’re hired. You have got the job!

You’re hired. You’ve got the job!

I have got a few chapters left to read.

I’ve got a few chapters left to read.

We have got a lot on our plate** today.

We’ve got a lot on our plate today.

They have got to go shopping this arvo***.

They’ve got to go shopping this arvo.

They have got quite a bit of work to do.

They’ve got quite a bit of work to do.

I think we have got enough to think about.

I think we’ve got enough to think about.

We have got a holiday house in Queensland.

We’ve got a holiday house in Queensland.

We think that they have got to know the truth.

We think that they’ve got to know the truth.

You have got to listen carefully to what I’m saying.

You’ve got to listen carefully to what I’m saying.

* To be kidding someone = To be joking, to be lying to someone. Used when someone’s very shocked at what someone has told them, i.e. “That can’t be true?!”

** To have a lot on one’s plate = To have a lot to do, to be very busy.

*** Arvo = The Australian slang term for AFTERNOON.

So, in this second substitution exercise here, guys, I want to practice contracting HAVE and then when it’s followed by a PAST PARTICPLE. So, it’s when you’re talking about something that is in the past. So, like I’VE GONE, I’VE SAID, I’VE DONE, I’VE THOUGHT, etc.

So, let’s get started with this substitution exercise, guys.

Substitution exercise: have + past participle

I have thought about it.

I’ve thought about it.

We have just left the party.

We’ve just left the party.

I have seen the new movie.

I’ve seen the new movie.

We have changed our minds.

We’ve changed our minds.

They have waited long enough.

They’ve waited long enough.

I think I have been here before.

I think I’ve been here before.

They have left work to go home.

They’ve left work to go home.

We have walked quite a distance.

We’ve walked quite a distance.

I think you have drunk too much.

I think you’ve drunk too much.

They have never seen anything like it.

They’ve never seen anything like it.

You have been playing outside all day.

You’ve been playing outside all day.

They have gone to vote in the election.

They’ve gone to vote in the election.

You have been asking a lot of questions.

You’ve been asking a lot of questions.

I have had way too much to eat tonight.

I’ve had way too much to eat tonight.

You have just finished your university degree.

You’ve just finished your university degree.

We have surfed at this beach a few times before.

We’ve surfed at this beach a few times before.

So, that’s it guys. That’s the contraction of HAVE onto the pronouns I, YOU, WE and THEY. And so, I HAVE becomes I’VE, YOU HAVE becomes YOU’VE, WE HAVE becomes WE’VE and THEY HAVE becomes THEY’VE.

Listen to this exercise a few times guys, you know, repeat it. Eventually these things are going to become second nature. You won’t have to think about it and you will just do it naturally. See you in the next episode guys!