---
title: Contractions
pubDate: 2026-08-17T09:53:44.266Z
antora:
  editUrl: https://github.com/couchbaselabs/docs-style-guide/edit/main/ui-ux/modules/ROOT/pages/contractions.adoc
  xref: xref:ui-ux::contractions.adoc[]
---

[Consult the llms.txt file for a full list of contents](/llms.txt)
[View original HTML](/ui-ux/contractions.html)

# 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

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

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

## [](#do-not-use-complex-contractions)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)Acceptable Contractions

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

| Contraction      | Short For…​           |
| ---------------- | --------------------- |
| [I'd\*](#star)   | I had; I would        |
| [I'll\*](#star)  | I will; I shall       |
| [I'm\*](#star)   | I am                  |
| it's             | it is; it has         |
| [let's\*](#star) | 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\*](#star)  | we had; we would      |
| [we're\*](#star) | 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](first-person.md).