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English
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Contractions
Apostrophes: Form Contractions

Apostrophes: Form Contractions

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Content Apostrophes: Form Contractions

Contractions – Introduction
Contractions – Rules
Contractions – Examples

Contractions – Common Errors

Contractions – Summary
Frequently Asked Questions about Contractions

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Basics on the topic Apostrophes: Form Contractions

Learn about contractions through fun English language grammar activities, video and contraction exercises!

Contractions – Introduction

When we speak English to each other, we do not always use the same words as in writing. An example of special shortened words that we often use in speaking are contractions.

Contractions are words that we create by combining two words together in order to make a shorter word. Some examples of English contractions are don’t, I’m or hasn’t.

We use contractions to make words shorter and easier to understand while speaking. We do not use contractions in formal writing or essays, but we can use them in informal and/or fictional writing.

Check out the linked video to learn more about formal and informal language.

Contractions – Rules

When learning about contractions, it is important to understand the rules of how they are formed. In contractions, one or several letters are replaced by a punctuation mark called an apostrophe.

When combining two words together to make a contraction, the first word usually stays the same. The second word of the contraction gets one or some letters cut out. For example, when combining words have and not, the first word stays the same – have, while the second word loses a letter and becomes n’t. We use an apostrophe to replace the omitted letters. Then we combine two words.

After removing the letter or letters from the second word and adding an apostrophe, we need to re-read the contraction word to make sure it makes sense. The contraction that we get when combining have and not is haven’t.

Contractions – Examples

Let’s take a look at examples of common contractions. Can you find a contraction in the previous sentence? Correct, let’s is a contraction formed by combining the words let and us.

There are many contractions in English, but the most common are the ones formed with pronouns or verbs to be, to have and modal verbs. Check out this list of contractions to see examples:

Long Form	Contraction
I am	I’m
I have	I’ve
you are	you’re
you have	you’ve
they are	they’re
they have	they’ve
she is	she’s
she has	she’s
he is	he’s
he has	he’s
it is	it’s
it has	it’s
is not	isn’t
have not	haven’t
are not	aren’t
has not	hasn’t
was not	wasn’t
had not	hadn’t
were not	weren’t
I will	I’ll
that is	that’s
will not	won’t
there is	there’s
can not	can’t
here is	here’s
could not	couldn’t
what is	what’s
should not	shouldn’t
where is	where’s
must not	mustn’t

Contractions – Common Errors

When teaching contractions to children, it is important to be aware of common errors that can be made when writing contractions. Some common mistakes include:

1.) Confusing it’s and its.

It’s is a contraction form of it is or it has: It’s a snake!
Its is a possessive adjective: My cat has lost its toy.

2.) Confusing you’re and your.

You’re is a contraction form of you are: You’re my best friend.
Your is a possessive adjective: Did you brush your teeth?

3.) Confusing they’re, their and there.

They’re is a contraction form of they are: They’re amazing singers.
Their is a possessive adjective: Their costumes were the best.
There is an adverb: I went there to meet my friend.

Reviewing contraction rules and completing exercises will help you avoid these common mistakes.

Contractions – Summary

Let’s review everything we have learnt about contractions in writing.

Contractions are a shorter way to say two words by combining them. When creating contractions, we use a punctuation mark, called an apostrophe.

We can create contractions following these three steps:

First, keep the first word the same.
Next, cut one or several letters of the second word.
Then, replace the cut-out letters with an apostrophe.
Finally, combine the words. Read the contraction word to make sure it makes sense.

Now you know everything about contractions in English. Would you like more contraction practice? Check out our video, learning English contractions worksheets and grammar contractions activities for children.

Frequently Asked Questions about Contractions

What is a simple definition of contractions for children?

What are some contraction examples?

What are examples of contractions in sentences?

Transcript Apostrophes: Form Contractions

"You have found it, Dee! The perfect place for us to set up our tent." "And we have a new, bigger tent!" "There are words and symbols on this tent though, do you know what they mean?" Let's help Dee and Kala understand the words by learning about apostrophes, form contractions. Have you heard about contractions before? Contractions are a shorter way to say two words by combining them. You may have heard of some contractions such as don’t or hasn’t. In contractions, one or more letters get replaced by a punctuation mark called an apostrophe that looks like this. When we put an apostrophe in a word, it always goes up in the air. The first word of a contraction is always the same, but one or more letters in the second word are removed. For example, we can combine the words would and not to create a contraction. We keep the first word, would, the same. But we remove one of the letters in the second word, not. Then, we replace the removed letter with an apostrophe. Finally, we re-read our contraction to make sure that it makes sense. Do you know what word this contraction makes? This contraction is wouldn’t. Now that we've learnt a bit about contractions, let's help Dee and Kala set up their tent. They need to connect the rope and peg in the ground by creating a contraction with the words she and is. We can start by keeping the first word, she. Next, we need to remove one or more of the letters from the second word, here we remove the letter i. Then, we need to replace the removed letter with an apostrophe. Finally, we re-read the word to make sure that it makes sense. What is the contraction that these two words make? This contraction is the word she’s. We can help Dee and Kala with their next contraction too! It looks like they need to combine the words did and not to connect the next peg of their tent. Remember to start by keeping the first word the same. Next, we need to remove one or more of the letters of the second word, here we'll remove the letter o. Then, we need to put the apostrophe in the place that the removed letter was. Here, we replace the letter o with an apostrophe. Finally, we can re-read the word to make sure that it makes sense. Can you tell which contraction these two words make? This contraction is the word didn’t! Before we see how the tent turned out, let's review. Today we learnt about creating contractions using apostrophes. When creating a contraction using an apostrophe, the first word always stays the same. Next, remove one or more of the letters in the second word. Then, replace the removed letter or letters with an apostrophe. Remember that the apostrophe always goes in the air. Finally, re-read the contraction to make sure that it makes sense. I wonder how Dee and Kala's new tent turned out. "Wow, this tent is really different from the others we’ve had before!" "Something isn’t right with that tent..."

Apostrophes: Form Contractions exercise

Would you like to apply the knowledge you’ve learnt? You can review and practice it with the tasks for the video Apostrophes: Form Contractions.

What is a contraction?

Hints

In contractions, one or some letters get replaced by an apostrophe.

Two examples of common contractions are don't and can't.
Don't combines do and not.
Can't combines can and not.

Solution

Contractions are a shorter way to say two words by combining them.
In the image above, you can see how we can combine the words he and is to make the contraction he's.
Which two words make the contraction?

Hints

Remember, when making a contraction we usually keep the first word the same.
For example, in the contraction they're the first word is they. The whole word they is kept in the contraction.

In a contraction, one or some of the letters in the second word are cut out.
For example, the contraction they're is made out of the words they and are. The letter a is cut out of the word are.

Solution

The image above shows the word pairs that make each contraction.
Contractions are a shorter way to say two words by combining them.
In contractions, the first word of a contraction is always the same, but the second word gets one or some letters cut out.
What are the steps for making a contraction?
Hints

Remember, we start to make a contraction by keeping the first word the same.

You put an apostrophe in a contraction after you cut one or some letters in the second word.

The last step is to re-read the contraction to make sure that it makes sense.

Solution
Here are the steps to making a contraction:
1. Keep the first word the same.
2. Cut one or some of the letters in the second word.
3. Put the apostrophe in the place where the letters you cut were.
4. Re-read the contraction to make sure that it makes sense.
Can you write the contractions?
Hints
Remember in a contraction, the first word is usually kept the same, but the second word gets one or some letters cut out.

This image shows you how to make the contraction who's from who is.
- We can start by keeping the first word.
- Next, we need to cut one or some of the letters in the second word. Here we cut the letter i.
- Then, we need to put the apostrophe in the place the letters were.
- Finally, we re-read the word to make sure that it makes sense.
Don't forget to include an apostrophe ('). When we put an apostrophe in a word, it always goes up in the air.
Solution
The image above shows how to make each contraction.
To make the contraction hadn't:
- We can start by keeping the first word had.
- Next, we need to cut one or some of the letters in the second word not. Here we cut the letter o.
- Then, we need to put the apostrophe in the place the letters were.
- Finally, we re-read the word to make sure that it makes sense.
What contraction can you make?
Hints

Remember, when creating contractions, the first word usually stays the same.

Next, we need to cut one or some of the letters in the second word.

Remember that a contraction always has an apostrophe ('). When we put an apostrophe in a word, it always goes up in the air.
The apostrophe goes in the place of the missing letter or letters.

Solution
The image above shows how to make the contraction wasn't.
- We can start by keeping the first word was.
- Next, we need to cut one or some of the letters in the second word not. Here we cut the letter o.
- Then we need to put the apostrophe in the place the letters were.
- Finally, we re-read the word to make sure that it makes sense.
Which words could be made into contractions?
Hints

In the first sentence, the words There and is could be made into the contraction There's.

One of the two words used to make a contraction is always a verb.
For example, the verb is can be found in many contractions.
Look at the verbs in each sentence, can you make a contraction using them and one of the words next to them?

The word not is used to make many contractions. For example, the contraction haven't is made using the words have and not.

Solution
The picture above shows each of the word pairs that can be made into a contraction.
- there and is can be combined to make the contraction there's
- do and not can be combined to make the contraction don't
- it and is can be combined to make the contraction it's
- we and are can be combined to make the contraction we're