isn
part of speech
fragment (isn — part of «isn't» = is not)
meaning for a pupil
Not a full word: «isn» is the first part of the short form «isn't», which means «is not». Written alone it appears only when the apostrophe and «t» are cut off. tree →
sense in the lessons
In English lessons «isn't» is a contraction: the apostrophe stands where the letter «o» was left out of «is not». It is used in speech and friendly writing: «It isn't fair», «Isn't it lovely?». In tag questions: «It's cold, isn't it?».
examples
- It isn't raining any more. tree →
- This isn't my coat. tree →
- Isn't that your teacher over there? tree →
- The answer isn't 12; it's 13. tree →
- She's in your class, isn't she? tree →
- The shop isn't open on Sundays. tree →
- Nana, it isn’t six o’clock yet. tree →
note
Always write «isn't» with an apostrophe between «n» and «t». Full form: «is not». Do not write «isnt» or «is'nt». In formal writing use «is not». «Ain't» is very informal and counted wrong in school writing.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «isn» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.