Shan't is the contraction of shall not. It means the same thing, just shortened: I shan't be late is a quicker way of saying I shall not be late. You'll hear it most often in British English. In American English it's rare, where people usually say won't or will not instead. A couple of examples in use: * We shan't stay long. * Don't worry, I shan't say a word to anyone. If you come across it in a British novel or an older text, you can simply read it as shall not. Note that there's also an occasional alternative spelling, sha'n't, though shan't is the standard form.
I shan't tell her, I promise. A natural refusal, and it means the same as I shall not tell her.
Shan't is the short form of shall not, so I shan't be late tonight means the same as I shall not be late tonight.
You will hear it far more in the UK. In the US it may sound a bit old-fashioned, and an American is more likely to say will not in the same spot.
We shan't stay long. A natural refusal, the same as we shall not stay long.
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won't /wəʊnt/ (UK), /woʊnt/ (US) is the contraction of 'will not'. Its spelling is irregular: it is not 'willn't'.
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Contraction of 'might not' with IPA and form card.
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Might not contraction with IPA
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The contraction of must not is mustn't. Standard IPA: /ˈmʌsnt/. It is the standard short form of must not, spelled with an apostrophe replacing the o, especially in British English. American learner dictionaries often label it rare and very formal, so American speakers commonly use the full form must not instead, for example You must not touch that wire.
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Dictionary-entry lookup on whether 'cannot' is a contraction
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A compact single-word spelling card for the headword bowel, with IPA, the bowl contrast, and short examples.
