Learning English

Hi everyone, Neil here. I'd like to help you to pronounce some of these double contractions we've heard in this session. We'll start with the ones from my little argument with Rob about my sandwiches. Here are the key sentences again.

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it can't've been me because I've just eaten some pizza with Finn and I'm full.

Did you get that? He said, "It can't've been me because I've just eaten some pizza with Finn and I'm full." That's cannot have, cannot have. Can't've.

Here's another one:

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...so it mightn't've been Rob after all.

And so I said, "It mightn't've been Rob after all." Mightn't've. That's might not have. Mightn't've.

Here's the next one:

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...it mustn't've Rob who stole my lunch then.

That's, "So it mustn't've Rob who stole my lunch then." Mustn't've. That's must not have. Musn't've.

And the last one:

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No it couldn't've been Rob because he just had the most delicious pizza...

That was, "No it couldn't've been Rob because he just had a delicious pizza." Couldn't've. Couldn't've. That's could not have.

Right, now let's break them down and then build them up again. And when I say 'repeat' then repeat after me. Good luck!

Could not have - Couldn't've. Couldn't've. And repeat after me. Couldn't've.

Might not have - Mightn't've. Mightn't've. Repeat after me. Mightn't've.

Must not have - Mustn't've. Mustn't've. And repeat after me. Mustn't've.

Cannot have - Can't've. Can't've. And repeat after me. Can't've.

Well done! And here are some more common double contractions that we didn't hear in the recording today:

I would have - I'd've. I'd've. And repeat after me. I'd've.

You would have - You'd've. You'd've. And repeat after me. You'd've.

He would have - He'd've. He'd've. And repeat after me. He'd've.

She would have - She'd've. She'd've. And repeat after me. She'd've.

We would have - We'd've. We'd've. And repeat after me. We'd've. OK, and just one more...

They would have - They'd've. They'd've. And repeat after me. They'd've.