Everyday usage in "mightn't/ oughtn't to/ shan't... etc."

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,

While I’m looking over my “pronunciation dictionary”, there are tips for pronouncing “mighn’t (might not), oughtn’t to (ought not to), shan’t (shall not), daren’t (dare not), needn’t (need not), musn’t (must not)”. For me, I’ve heard of nothing of them except for ‘needn’t’ and ‘musn’t’.

Are the short forms I wrote above actually used a lot in everyday life in speaking English? (Writing English, I’ve rarely seen them. ) Are they more often used than their longer forms?

Thanks,
sweetpumpkin

2

Yes (but I don’t use ‘shan’t’). You won’t necessarily find them written, since they are contractions transcribing the spoken language.