Casual Merged Words

Form

Casual merged words are ordinary phrases that run together in fast, relaxed speech (going to becomes gonna, want to becomes wanna).

Most of them squeeze a verb and a small word like to, have or me into one quick chunk (have got to becomes gotta, let me becomes lemme). They belong to speech and to writing that imitates speech, such as a text message, a song lyric or dialogue in a novel, and not to formal writing such as a report, an exam answer or a message to a client. Learning them matters most for listening, because native speakers say them at normal speed whether or not you use them yourself.

When to Use It

1. 1

   Decoding fast speech, where the full phrase is still what the speaker means

   I dunno what to say.

2. 2

   Speaking casually with friends and family

   Do you wanna grab a coffee?

3. 3

   Writing dialogue, a text message or a song lyric

   Lemme think about it.

4. 4

   Hearing should have, could have and would have, where have shrinks to a weak uh sound

   You shoulda told me earlier.

5. 5

   Softening a statement with kinda or sorta

   It's kinda cold in here.

Common Mistakes

• Gotta in formal writing: write I have to finish this report, not I gotta finish this report — the reduced form belongs to speech and casual texting.
• Shoulda plus a bare verb: say I shoulda finished it, not I shoulda finish it — shoulda is should have, so a past participle follows.
• Wanna after he, she or it: say She wants to leave, not She wanna leave — wanna only replaces want to, never wants to.
• Gonna before a noun: say I am going to the store, not I am gonna the store — gonna only replaces going to in front of another verb.
• Of in place of have: write You should have called, not You should of called — shoulda sounds like should of, but the word is have.