# Apostrophe substitution of "I would have" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013 "2011-02-11T12:31:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Deflagration](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Deflagration](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deflagration)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/1 "2011-02-11T12:31:45Z")
I want to concatenate “I would have” Example:\* I would have loved to go…\* All I can come up with is: _I’d’ve loved to go…_ Which ‘sounds’ right but looks wrong. Is there a better way? ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/2 "2011-02-11T12:37:04Z")
I typically use “I would’ve”. That kinda how I say it – “eye wooda”. Unless I’ve decided to go completely “street” and say “Ima” – for comic effect. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/3 "2011-02-11T12:37:21Z")
That is the standard (if horribly informal) contraction. The one you want to avoid is “ **I’d of** loved to go.” ETA: **Arkon** is right if you’ll accept using two words. You can also use “I’d have.” I assumed you only wanted one word. As for “Ima,” it is definitely street and is likely to be misunderstood by those not in that culture. “I’d’ve” will be understood by nearly everyone. Plus, if that’s what you would say in that situation, then that’s what you write. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/4 "2011-02-11T12:40:46Z")
> [@Deflagration](#): > > I want to concatenate “I would have” > > Example:\* I would have loved to go…\* > > All I can come up with is: _I’d’ve loved to go…_ > > Which ‘sounds’ right but looks wrong. Is there a better way? What you have written is commonly used in speech, at least where I live (UK). It really depends on the context. In formal writing, you wouldn’t use the contraction at all. Informally, I would probably go with “I would’ve”. If you want it to sound more like normal speech, what you have is fine. Alternatively, you could use “I woulda”, which would (IMO) give it a more American feel. Or if you want to be ironic, “I would of”. Bottom line is, with these kinds of language queries (indeed with most language queries), there is no right or wrong answer. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/5 "2011-02-11T13:05:51Z")
I would’ve loved… or I’d have loved… ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/6 "2011-02-11T13:25:35Z")
> [@Deflagration](#): > > Example:\* I would have loved to go…\* > > All I can come up with is: _I’d’ve loved to go…_ In the example, when I say it aloud it sounds like “Ayeuda’ve loved to go…” but if I write it it’d go like “I’d have loved to go…” ---
**Author:** ![Deflagration](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Deflagration](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deflagration)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/7 "2011-02-11T13:34:07Z")
Thanks all. I threw caution to the wind, modified the tenses and went with: _I’d’ve loved to’ve gone._ All I have to do now is find a word with 3 apostrophes (or more) and I’ll be happy. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/8 "2011-02-11T14:17:41Z")
> [@Deflagration](#): > > _I’d’ve loved to’ve gone._ You’ve gone too far. 🙂 “To” is never contracted; you’ll have to stick with “to have” if you are using proper writing style, such as if you are writing a letter. If instead you are writing fiction and trying to approximate a character’s slangy pronunciation in writing then I guess it’s OK, if you are doing so consistently for the character. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/9 "2011-02-11T14:30:51Z")
Just don’t use “would of”. In my teaching days, I gave an immediate F for that without further reading of the essay submitted to me. Q ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/10 "2011-02-11T14:50:33Z")
> [@Deflagration](#): > > Thanks all. I threw caution to the wind, modified the tenses and went with: > > _I’d’ve loved to’ve gone._ > > All I have to do now is find a word with 3 apostrophes (or more) and I’ll be happy. 🆒 I’d’ve loved to’ve gone to see the fo’c’sle’s windows with you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/11 "2011-02-11T15:33:50Z")
Arrrghhhhh! Once, in high school, I got laughed at by the whole class for pronouncing “forecastle” “foh-cah-sul” and it was written “fo’c’sle” in the poem! Q ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/12 "2011-02-11T15:42:38Z")
“I’d have” sounds much more natural to me than “I would’ve” in this sentence. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/13 "2011-02-11T15:50:50Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’d’ve loved to’ve gone to see the fo’c’sle’s windows with you. 🙂 I’d’ve loved to’ve gone to see the fo’c’sle’s windows’ frames with y’all. 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/14 "2011-02-11T22:45:46Z")
Actually, “fo’c’s’le” already has 3 apostrophes, so you get 4 with the possessive “fo’c’s’le’s.” ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apostrophe-substitution-of-i-would-have/571013/15 "2011-02-12T00:19:38Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > > [@Deflagration](#): > > > > I’d’ve loved to’ve gone. > > You’ve gone too far. 🙂 “To” is never contracted; On the contrary; “to” is often contracted in many dialects of English, and “t’” would be the usual way of writing this. Though contrary to your claim, “to” wasn’t contracted in **Deflagration** ’s sentence—“have” was contracted, not “to”. > [@](#): > > you’ll have to stick with “to have” if you are using proper writing style, such as if you are writing a letter. This depends entirely on what you mean by “proper writing style”, though I think it’s a bit odd that you consider “I’d’ve” but not “to’ve” appropriate for a “proper” letter.