When do you use It's, hasn't, and don't instead of it is, has not, and do not rspectively?

Whenever you want to.

Er... aren't there any English usage rules?

It doesnt generally matter, but people will often use the non contraction form to put an emphasis on the "not."

Er... aren't there any English usage rules?

I suppose if you want to sound more proper you avoid contractions. But in 'merica ain't no'un tell ya how to speechify. Uh-huh.

When do you use It's, hasn't, and don't instead of it is, has not, and do not rspectively?

There are very few rules.

The main one is that you use 'it is', 'has not', and 'do not' in formal writing. You don't use the short versions.

Other than that you would generally use the shortened version for everything. Except if you want to emphasise something, in which case seperating the two can help. But it's hardly essential.

Whatever floats your boat :D.

Personally I'd use the abbreviated one for normal and informal writing and speech...Like "Good thing he didn't call in sick or I'd have fucking kicked his head through the wall!"

The more formal way would be akin to "It is a good thing he decided to come to work and not call sick or I would, definitely, have had to kick his head through that wall right there!"

It's all about emphasis on a certain word I guess.

It's like french, they just drop off the letters that they dont need, to keep the same meaning.

It's like french, they just drop off the letters that they dont need, to keep the same meaning.

Except in French you can't use something like "Je Aime" whereas in english you can interchange "it is" and "it's"

Thanks for getting the godammned difference between "it's" and "its" right, OP. I can't tell you how much it bugs me when people do it wrong.

It doesnt generally matter, but people will often use the non contraction form to put an emphasis on the "not."

Same goes for any contraction you put an apostrophe in...

Except in French you can't use something like "Je Aime" whereas in english you can interchange "it is" and "it's"

Thanks for getting the godammned difference between "it's" and "its" right, OP. I can't tell you how much it bugs me when people do it wrong.

i could be totally off the mark here, but i thought in ye olden tymes the french would say 'aime-je' or something instead of j'aime

Only if it's a question.

Use the full ones when you want to sound intelligent and well spoken.

Use the apostrophe-ed ones when you are just talking informally to someone, such as on the internet.

I suppose if you want to sound more proper you avoid contractions. But in 'merica ain't no'un tell ya how to speechify. Uh-huh.

This is the first time anything in CL has made me laugh.

It depends on what style of writing you're going for. If it's a formal essay, then it would be inappropriate to use such abbreviations as 'it's'; 'it is' is clearer and more direct, therefore, appropriate in formal-speak.

I don't believe that Totse requires formal language since it often allows for light discussion (read Tubgirl), thus, 'you're a cunt for posting that' is more fitting than 'you are a cunt...'.

when speaking english, you can make up your own words. happens every day. nawmsayin? ya prolly don't.

I do not remember posting in this thread. How strange.

Contractions all the time, unless I write a paper.

Research papers, scholarly articles, shit like that you normally don't use contractions, just 'cuz it ain't 'formal'. Other than that though, I don't think it really matters.

Who gives a fuck?