This Ain't Just a Blog

Have you heard or read the word 'ain't'? This topic has been troublesome to English learners.

What is ain't?

The word ain't (informal) pronounced as /'eɪnt/, is a conjugation of 'be' (am, is, are) or has and have verbs + not. So those verbs are written as /am not/is not/are not/ has not/ have not/.

The common informal saying is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It basically means that you don't have to do something or modify it if there's nothing wrong with it. This word originated in Britain and became widely spread while some articles claimed it was from African-American ethnic groups. Regardless where it came from, it's essential to use this term with care since many English learners find it confusing. They tend to choose a wrong verb for the subject. Unless, of course, if you're a native speaker this wouldn't be a big deal.

Here are some examples:

"I ain't (am not) gonna stop learning English".
"Life ain't (is not) easy".
"You ain't (are not) allowed to cheat".
"She ain't (has not) talked about the marriage proposal to her parents".
"They ain't (have not) printed the news articles yet".

Ain't is used in movies, songs, and everyday conversations. I heard it most of the time. However, it isn't advisable to use it in academic setting. So never attempt to include it in your reports or essays just because other people have been using it. I guess it's alright to use it with your friends.

Another thing, would you agree with me if I tell you that the more frequent you use ain't in your conversations, the more you'd sound poorly educated? Tell me what you think. I learned this information a few months ago. Ouch! I ain't gonna use this term anymore... :)

Finally, the songs "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera and "I Ain't No Quitter" by Shania Twain used this word oftentimes. Likewise, the sentence "I ain't done nothing" is a bit complicated. Blimey! Grammarians or grammar police wouldn't be pleased with these three examples because they introduced "double negatives" - a taboo in the English language.

Check out our latest reading challenge in my group about double negatives courtesy of VOA- Learning English.

Remember, ain't shouldn't be used in formal conversations and academic writing!

Can you give other examples where you spotted this word in songs or movies?

Reference:

Oxford Dictionary

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Comments

  • @ Alice E.

    I'm in an infinite happiness because of your kind words! I love to share a little of what I have. I'm also glad a lot of our friends have appreciated this blog post. This is memorable to me!

    Cheers to a more productive learning!

    Robbie :)

  • @ Luci

    Thanks again for replying. I agree with you, it's nice to relive old times through classic songs and even movies! :)

  • @ Beethoven

    You're very much welcome! I'm ecstatic that you found this blog valuable.

    Cheers!

    Robbie :)

  • @ Afro

    I'm glad for your comment! Thanks a lot for giving an example.

    Happy studies!

    Robbie

  • @ Saba

    You're welcome! Thank you for your comment! :)

  • @ Sir Dara

    Thank you very much for the compliment! We're both handsome in our own ways, Teacher! I appreciate the fact that you've always been supportive on what I post here. I wish your kindness to most learners wound continue to blossom.

    Regarding to the Filipina songbirds you mentioned on your comment, I know them but I'm afraid I'm not quite familiar with their songs he he. Actually, I'm a bit surprised you knew them!

    Thanks again for your comment! 

    Stay safe,

    Robbie

  • Hi Robbie!  This blog truly makes you an indispensable member of this club, you always go out of your way to help the learners!  Cheers to you! :)

  • @ Dimi

    You gave me the idea (well, sort of) to post this topic. You've used this term in your status update on Facebook, remember? I believe you're a diligent and an exceptional English learner. And I'm sure you've already mastered most of the grammatical rules of English, haven't you? So this one is just a piece of cake for you.

    Many thanks for your comment, Little Brother!

    Robbie :)

  • @ Anonymous

    Nice try! Your sentence is a perfect example of a double negative. Thanks for the comment!

  • @ Onee-chan

    I'm glad you liked this blog. There's a reason why this term should only stay in informal conversations. Moreover, learning other grammatical incorrect terms would help us be aware of the diversity of the English language.

    Happy learning!

    Robbie

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