"He has a baby" or he's a baby

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

Can I write the short form "He's a baby" instead of "He has a baby" Or "She's a baby" meaning "She has a baby"? Since it can also mean "She is a baby" is it better to write the full form?

 

[Rover_KE]

It depends on the context. Have you got any?

 

[Rachel Adams]

It depends on the context. Have you got any?

No, unfortunately. But if I am writing to my friend and say: "I have a new student. He is an artist. He is just 20 and he's a baby." Strange context but better than no context at all.

 

[SoothingDave]

No. That would be read as "he is a baby." Use the full words.

 

[emsr2d2]

Whenever there is potential ambiguity with a contraction, avoid it and use the full form. It doesn't happen too often, fortunately but, as you've said "He's/She's" can mean either "He is/She is/He has/She has".

 

[Tortuga]

I am not a teacher.

He's a baby = He is a baby.

It would probably be written He 'as a baby to reflect how some people might say this, but that's just to emphasize that they're speaking differently and should be in quotes if used at all.

 

[PeterCW]

Whenever there is potential ambiguity with a contraction, avoid it and use the full form. It doesn't happen too often, fortunately but, as you've said "He's/She's" can mean either "He is/She is/He has/She has".

Really? I can't say that I have ever heard anybody contract "he has" to "he's".

 

[emsr2d2]

The contraction is more common in Irish English. My ex-flatmate in Madrid, a wonderful Dublin lady, would say things like "I love listening to Barack Obama. He's a great speaking voice" ("He's" means "He has" there) or "I'm going to help out my friend Patricia this afternoon. She's a hospital appointment". Clearly, Patricia isn't a hospital appointment; she has one.

 

[Rachel Adams]

HAVE as an auxiliary verb, as part of a perfect-aspect construction or of 'have got', is frequently contracted, especially in speech. As a full/lexical verb it is rarely contracted.

As in "He's got a brother." Or "He has arrived." But less common "He's a brother"= "He has a brother".

 

[Yankee]

Hello.

Can I write the short form "He's a baby" instead of "He has a baby" Or "She's a baby" meaning "She has a baby"? No. Since it can also mean "She is a baby" is it better to write the full form? Yes. The contraction for "has" would work, for example with "got" or"had" as in "She's got a new baby." or "He's had a serious accident."

Y.

 

[jutfrank]

Rachel Adams, since you like simple rules of use, I'll happily offer you these two, as I would to all my students:

Don't contract he has to he's when the verb 'have' is a lexical verb.
Do contract he has to he's when the verb 'have' is an auxiliary verb.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I am not a teacher.

He's a baby = He is a baby.

Yes, exactly.

It would probably be written He 'as a baby

That wouldn't make sense. It has to be: He has a baby.

to reflect how some people might say this,

Aha! We like our H's in the US, but it's my impression that people who drop their H's drop them all: 'E 'as a baby.

but that's just to emphasize that they're speaking differently and should be in quotes if used at all.

Yes, it would be in quotes.

Good points!

 

[GoesStation]

Hello.

Can I write the short form "He's a baby" instead of "He has a baby" Or "She's a baby" meaning "She has a baby"? Since it can also mean "She is a baby" is it better to write the full form?

In American English, you're saying "he is" or "she is a baby."