Elision

As in modern English, words often appear in a reduced Often the contracted forms are
or elided form, with the omitted element shown by an apostrophe. (e.g. he’s, we’ll, let’s, o’clock);
The reason for the elision varies: in some cases it enables a word to including those listed below.
fit the metrical character of a line or focuses the emphasis within a In some cases, it is only the wri
sentence more sharply; in others it helps to capture the colloquial modern English we do not usua
character of conversational speech or identifies a character’s or o’doors for ‘of doors’, but th
idiosyncratic way of talking. In most cases, the identity of the going or out of doors would har
underlying word is obvious from the context, though some of the The presence or absence of an a
more unusual forms can make the reader hesitate - such as Lady depending partly on editorial pr
Capulet’s thou’s (RJ I.iii.10). Some patterns are frequent and might legitimately be considere
predictable, and these are listed below: ’tis, for example, is the in squire vs. esquire); for clarit
regular contraction of it is (by contrast with present-day it’s). The apostrophe below.
verbs be, have, and do are commonly contracted with a preceding
pronoun in colloquial speech, as in modern English.
Elision in grammatical words

Verbs

Form Location Examples

have > ha’ Ham V.i.23 Will you ha’ the truth on’t?
shall > s’ RJ I.iii.10 thou’s hear our counsel
wilt > ’t, ’lt Ham V.i.279 an thou’lt mouth, / I’ll rant a
wouldst thou > woo’t Ham V.i.271 Woo’t weep?

Pronouns

Form Location Examples

he > ’a RJ I.iii.41 ’A was a merry man

it [after a word] > ’t Ham V.i.122 I do not lie in’t [also: to’t, fo
it [before a word] > ’t Ham I.i.7 ’Tis now struck twelve [also
them > ’em Tem I.ii.330 each pinch more stinging / T
made’em
thou > th’ Ham V.ii.336 As th’art a man
us > ’s Mac I.iii.124 to betray’s
you > y’ Tim I.ii.128 You see ... how ample y’are
Determiners [articles and other noun specifiers]

Form Location Examples

his > ’s Mac II.ii.22 one did laugh in’s sleep [also
our > ’r 1H4 II.iv.44 By’r lady
the > th’ Ham I.ii.9 our Queen, / Th’imperial joi
warlike state
this > ’s Ham III.ii.136 my father died within’s two

Prepositions

Form Location Examples

against > ’gainst 1H6 I.iv.15 A piece of ordnance ’gainst i

amidst > ’midst Luc 566 ’midst the sentence so her ac
amongst > ’mongst 1H6 I.iv.50 great fear of my name ’mong
before > ’fore 1H6 I.iii.22 prizest him ’fore me
betwixt > ’twixt Tem I.ii.240 The time ’twixt six and now
in > ’i 1H4 II.iv.364 i’faith
over > o’er Mac I.iii.93 In viewing o’er the rest
of > ’o CE II.i.11 Because their business still l
on > ’o Tem I.i.40 A pox o’your throat
to > t’ KL V.iii.185 t’assume a semblance / That
disclaimed
with > wi’ RJ I.iii.33 To see it tetchy and fall out w

Conjunction

Form Location Examples

because > ’cause H8 IV.ii.78 ’Cause the musicians play m

Adverb

Form Location Examples

so > s’ Cor IV.vi.122 never / S’incapable of help

Elision in word-endings

Adjectives

Form Location Examples

-est > -’st Tem I.i.58 gape at wid’st COMPARI

Verbs

Form Location Examples

-est > -’st Tem I.ii.333 When thou cam’st first, / Th

Elision in lexical words

Initial single consonant

Form Location Examples

God > ’od AYL III.v.43 ’Od’s my little life SWEA

yield > ’ild Mac I.vi.13 God ’ield us