Unavoidable words

Behold, the mighty apostrophe! The tiny symbol makes us all talk faster

Image: Vitaly Gariev

Aside from their use to describe the pains of childbirth, contractions are little shortcuts that make English sound natural and easy in everyday speech. They work by blending words and dropping letters, usually with an apostrophe standing in their place. We all use them daily, often without even thinking about it. Let’s take a look at 12 of the most common ones.

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The first item on our list is the contraction of "I am." It entered English centuries ago, as speakers sought smoother and faster ways to communicate. Here, the apostrophe replaces the missing "a."

Today, "I’m" is one of the most common contractions in both conversation and casual writing. You’ll hear it everywhere—from introductions like "I’m John" to everyday statements such as "I’m hungry."

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"You’re" blends "you are" into a quicker form. The apostrophe stands in for the dropped "a." Its use became widespread in both spoken and written English over time.

Today, "you’re" is essential in everyday communication. Whether in texts, casual notes, or speech, most people favor it over the more formal "you are" in informal settings.

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"He’s" is the contraction of either "he is" or "he has." The meaning depends on context: "He’s running" means "he is running," while "He’s gone" means "he has gone."

It’s one of the most common spoken contractions, helping speech and writing sound more natural. You’ll see it in conversations, books, and movies, adding natural flow.

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There’s no "he’s" without a "she’s." This contraction can mean "she is" or "she has," depending on how it’s used. Like many others, it reflects the natural rhythm of spoken English.

Like its masculine counterpart, "she’s" is an everyday staple, heard in phrases like "She’s ready" or "She’s been there." It makes speech and writing quicker, more direct, and more conversational.

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"It’s" is the contraction of either "it is" or "it has," with the apostrophe marking the missing letter. It is often confused with its, the possessive form (as in "The dog wagged its tail").

In current use, "it’s" is one of the most common contractions in English, referring to things or animals. Common sentences like "It’s cold outside" or "It’s been fun" show just how indispensable it is.

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"We’re" is the contraction of "we are," with the apostrophe replacing the missing "a." It has been in use for centuries as a way to make speech and writing smoother and more efficient

Today, "we’re" is common in everyday English, especially in collaborative or group contexts. You’ll hear it in phrases like "We’re going out" or "We’re ready."

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"They’re" blends "they are," again with the apostrophe marking the missing letters. It’s often confused with the homophones their (possessive) and there (location), which makes it challenging for many learners.

Today, "they’re" is frequently used in both speech and informal writing. Common examples include "They’re happy" and "They’re working," showing how practical and natural the contraction is in everyday English.

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"Don’t" is the shortened form of "do not." Its first known use dates back to the 17th century, when written English began reflecting casual speech.

Today, it’s one of the most common negative contractions. You’ll hear it everywhere, in phrases like "Don’t worry," "Don’t move," and "Don’t forget." It may be informal, but it’s practically universal.

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"Can’t" contracts "cannot," with the apostrophe replacing the missing "no." This form has been part of spoken English for centuries, reflecting natural speech patterns.

Today, it’s one of the most common contractions, used to express inability or prohibition. Phrases like "I can’t swim" or "You can’t do that" are everyday examples of its use.

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The third and final negative contraction on this list, "won’t," is the shortened version of "will not." Unlike most contractions, it does not follow the usual pattern of dropping letters, as it evolved from older English forms such as "wonnot" or "wynnot."

Currently, "won’t" is one of the most familiar negative contractions. Frequently used in speech and writing, it appears in everyday phrases like "I won’t go" or "He won’t listen."

Image: Tonia Kraakman

"I’ve" shortens "I have," usually when "have" acts as an auxiliary verb. The contraction drops the "ha" and replaces it with an apostrophe.

Today, "I’ve" is commonly used in casual speech: for example, "I’ve seen that movie" or "I’ve been there." It helps make everyday expressions smoother and more natural.

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"Let’s" comes from "let us," and has been used for centuries to invite joint action. The apostrophe shows the missing "u."

Today, "let’s" is common in casual English. From "Let’s go" to "Let’s see," it provides a friendly, inclusive way to suggest doing something together.

COLORS IN MUSIC

Paint The Town Red With 10 Colorful Songs

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Music is a powerful tool that explicitly evokes all kinds of emotions. Colors, on the other hand, have a more subtle way of arousing feelings. Various theories have been developed to study the psychology behind colors and they all agree that they can be as powerful as music. So imagine what happens when you put those two things together. "Back to black" takes you right to the dark, low moments of life, while "Yellow Submarine" can already make you feel cheerful, doesn’t it?

Join us as we explore ten songs that have used colors to further express their messages.

Image: Alexander A.

The first item in our list not only blends colors and music but also combines multiple music styles: rock, R&B, gospel, and orchestral music. Only Prince could have done it!

Purple Rain is a song from 1984, part of the album of the same name, written and performed by Prince with his backing band, The Revolution.

Now, what does it mean? Prince himself explained that it is a reference to the sky and it represents letting your faith guide you to be with the one you love, even when it seems impossible. Quite a profound start, isn’t it?

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Songs, lyrics, and music are filled with individual interpretations which can vary greatly. Yellow Submarine by The Beatles is quite representative of that. The song, written by the English band as part of their album Revolver in 1966 was subject to opinions and interpretations from the very beginning.

Some deemed it empty of meaning, while teenagers of the time embraced it to create their own chants of protest. And some even take it as a metaphor for how The Beatles perceived themselves as prisoners of their own fame. Whatever we take as the truth, nobody can deny it is a great song.

Image: Volkan Olmez

Back to Black was written by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse in 2006 and instantly became an international success. Considering how short and troubled Winehouse’s life was, critics consider this song the purest expression of her complex mind.

It is her signature song and describes the difficult time she was going through at the time. Black is the color that best reflects how lonely life can get and how devoid of hope a person can get. Even in the most tragic ending, Winehouse still resonates with our society through this iconic song.

Image: Ernesto Norman

Just another song that belongs in the greater leagues as it’s in the Grammy Hall of Fame, among other achievements.

Released in 1967,Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison describes, naturally, a romance of the past in the most nostalgic way. Innocence, youth, and happy memories are all implied in the lyrics and the upbeat rhythm completes the picture it paints.

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Many songs, like this one, are written specifically for film productions. Blue Hawaii for example, was written in 1937 by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger for a film called Waikiki Wedding.

However, that is not the only film featuring it, as it was so successful, that it received several covers in the following years. Probably, the most famous one was performed by Elvis Presley in the namesake film of 1961.

The color of the ocean and that dreamy location set the scene in a rather straightforward way and it makes us wish we were there, right?

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It is not uncommon to see hints of autobiographical notes in songs. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road by Elton John and Bernie Taupin is said to contain elements from the latter’s childhood on the farm in Lincolnshire.

Whatever the truth is, this ballad reflects on the hardship behind fame and how the author longed for a simpler, more genuine life, away from the glamour.

Regarding Elton’s career, many critics go as far as saying this is one of his best songs, and the records it broke prove it!

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You may know Red Red Wine by UB40, but Neil Diamond originally wrote and performed this song in 1967.

Part of his second studio album, Just for You, the lyrics are easily relatable: Haven’t we all gone through a time when we thought a cup of red wine was somehow a way to forget about our troubles? Neil Diamond surely felt that when he wrote this song.

UB40 might have found it appealing as they re-recorded it 20 years later, which ultimately led to an overwhelming success for them.

Image: Kilian Seiler

We don’t need to describe The Rolling Stones success, an over-40-years career speaks for itself. Among its many hits, Paint It, Black is the one that belongs in our article.

Originally writtenby Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song explores themes of grief and despair. It is narrated from the point of view of a person who lost their loved one and wants everything in black to match their mood. It is worth mentioning that, as with most iconic songs, it has received different interpretations. In any case, the topics are universal and the song is a hit still today!

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Musicians don’t always have to resort to black to express intense feelings. When the experience needs to be energetic and powerful, other colors get to play. That was what Bruce Springsteen was thinking when he wrote Pink Cadillac in 1984.

Romantic attraction, desire, escapism, and more topics of the sort have raised some controversy around the meaning, but that wasn’t enough to keep it from the Billboard chart for 14 weeks straight.

Image: Alexey Lin

The new millennium brought amazing things and Coldplay the British band was one of them. Included as the second single of their debut album Parachute, the song gave the band its first top-five hit in the United Kingdom.

But that wasn’t it, thanks to this song, Coldplay reached international fame and popularity which only kept growing and growing. More than two decades later, Yellow and the topic of love and devotion still resonate with the crowds.