What part of speech are negative contractions?

Negative contractions, like "can't", "won't", "don't", and "isn't", function as verbs.

Here's why:

* They replace a verb phrase: "Can't" replaces "can not", "won't" replaces "will not", and so on.

* They express negation: They convey the opposite meaning of the original verb.

* They function grammatically like verbs: They take the same grammatical position as the verbs they replace.

Example:

* I cannot go. (Verb phrase)

* I can't go. (Contraction replacing the verb phrase)

In this example, "can't" takes the place of "cannot" and acts as the verb in the sentence.

Therefore, negative contractions are considered verbs due to their function and grammatical role.