Apostrophes for contraction (shortened

words)
 Shortened Words
Sometimes, we join two words together to make
them shorter.

We call these contractions.

We are going to learn some rules for using

contractions.
 I am
If ‘I’ is one of the words in the contraction, the ‘I’ must be a
capital letter.

When shortening ‘am’ with ‘I’, remove the ‘a’ and replace it
with an apostrophe.

I am

=
I’m
 Are
If ‘are’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘a’
and replace it with an apostrophe.

we are you are they are

= = =
we’re
 Are
If ‘are’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘a’
and replace it with an apostrophe.

we are you are they are

= = =
we’re you’re they’re
 Is
If ‘is’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘i’ and
replace it with an apostrophe.

he is she is it is that is

= = = =
he’s
 Is
If ‘is’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘i’ and
replace it with an apostrophe.

he is she is it is that is

= = = =
he’s she’s it’s that’s
 Will
If ‘will’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘w’
and the ‘i’ and replace them both with an apostrophe.

I will you will he will she will

= = = =
I’ll

it will we will they will

= = =
 Will
If ‘will’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘w’
and the ‘i’ and replace them both with an apostrophe.

I will you will he will she will

= = = =
I’ll you’ll he’ll she’ll

it will we will they will

= = =
it’ll we’ll they’ll
 Has
If ‘has’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

she has he has it has that has

= = = =
she’s
 Has
If ‘has’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

she has he has it has that has

= = = =
she’s he’s it’s that’s
 Had
If ‘had’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

I had you had she had

= = =
I’d

he had they had we had

= = =
 Had
If ‘had’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

I had you had she had

= = =
I’d you’d she’d

he had they had we had

= = =
he’d they’d we’d
 Have
If ‘have’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

I have you have we have they have

= = = =
I’ve
 Have
If ‘have’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘h’ and the ‘a’ and
replace them both with an apostrophe.

I have you have we have they have

= = = =
I’ve you’ve we’ve they’ve
 Not
If ‘not’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘o’ and replace it with
an apostrophe.

could not do not does not had not

= = = =
couldn’t don’t

have not is not should not would not

= = = =

But watch out! can not = can’t (remove one n) will not = won’t
 Not
If ‘not’ is one of the words in the contraction, remove the ‘o’ and replace it with
an apostrophe.

could not do not does not had not

= = = =
couldn’t don’t doesn’t hadn’t

have not is not should not would not

= = = =
haven’t isn’t shouldn’t wouldn’t

But watch out! can not = can’t (remove one n) will not = won’t
 What contractions could you make from the
passage?

II’m
am going
going shopping
shopping today.
today. My
My friend
friend Lucy
Lucy will
will be
be going
going
too.
too.She
She’s
is aa lovely
lovely girl.
girl. She
She’ll
willgetgetthethebus
busthere
therebutbutI’llI will
go
go byby
train.
train.
We’re
We aregoing
goingto get
to get
lunchlunch
in town.
in town.I’mI going
am going to
to bring an umbrella because it it’s
is going
going to to rain.
rain. We’ll
We will be be
meeting my sister and her friends this afternoon because
they
they’re
are going
goingshopping
shoppingtoo. too.My
Mymum mumcan can’tnotcollect
collectusussoso
wewe’ll
will get the bus home. We We’ll
willhave
have to to
bebe home
home at at
seven
seven
o’clock
o’clockthis
thisevening
eveningand andwe we’ll
willnotnotbebelate.
late.
 What contractions could you make from the
passage?
Click for the answer

I’m going shopping today. My friend Lucy will be going

too. She’s a lovely girl. She’ll get the bus there but I’ll go
by train. We’re going to get lunch in town. I’m going to
bring an umbrella because it’s going to rain. We’ll be
meeting my sister and her friends this afternoon because
they’re going shopping too. My mum can’t collect us so
we’ll get the bus home. We’ll have to be home at seven
o’clock this evening and we
we’ll
won’t
not be late.
Which piece of punctuation always
replaces the missing letters?
Contracting words
using an apostrophe

Quiz
18th November 2020
Apostrophes for contraction