Contractions

    Contractions are combinations of at least two words. A contraction is made by omitting one or more letters from one word and adding it to the end of another word.

    Many contractions combine a verb and a pronoun.

    Do Not Use Negative Contractions

    Do not use negative contractions, especially in warning or error messages.

    Any verb + not combination should be written out in full.

    For example, do not shorten could not to couldn’t.

    Do Not Use Informal Contractions

    Do not use informal contractions like "wanna" or "gonna".

    Do Not Use Complex Contractions

    Do not use complex contractions like:

    • could’ve

    • might’ve

    • must’ve

    • should’ve

    • what’ll

    • what’re

    • what’ve

    • we’ve

    • who’d

    • who’ll

    • who’ve

    • would’ve

    • you’ve

    Acceptable Contractions

    When writing UI copy for Couchbase, you can only use the following contractions:

    Contraction Short For…​

    I’d*

    I had; I would

    I’ll*

    I will; I shall

    I’m*

    I am

    it’s

    it is; it has

    let’s*

    let us

    that’s

    that is; that has

    there’s

    there is; there has

    they’d

    they had; they would

    they’ll

    they will; they shall

    they’re

    they are

    we’d*

    we had; we would

    we’re*

    we are

    what’s

    what is; what has

    where’s

    where is; where has

    who’s

    who is; who has

    you’d

    you had; you would

    you’ll

    you will; you shall

    you’re

    you are

    *Only use first person under specific circumstances. For more information, see First-Person.