Why is will not shortened to instead of

You're right, "will not" is not shortened to "instead of". That's because "instead of" is a completely different phrase with a different meaning.

Here's why:

* "Will not" is a contraction that expresses the future tense negative. It means "will not happen".

* "Instead of" is a prepositional phrase indicating a substitution or alternative. It means "in place of".

Here are some examples:

* "Will not": I will not go to the party. (This means the speaker has no intention of going).

* "Instead of": I will eat salad instead of pizza. (This means the speaker is choosing salad as an alternative to pizza).

Let me know if you have any other questions!