living
livin'
/ˈlɪvɪn/Elision
In real speech
What happens to the sounds
The -ing ending is said as -in: /ŋ/ becomes /n/ (“g-dropping”): living → “LIV-in”.
When to use it
Hugely common in songs and casual speech: livin', lovin', talkin'. Write the apostrophe form only in informal texts.
Casual → formal
Slang
livin'
Neutral
living
Sound notes
Elision: a sound disappears completely (often t, v, h or th).