Contractions
Grade 3 · English · Study Guide
Learn how to squeeze two words together using an apostrophe.
When people talk, they almost never say 'I am going to the store.' They say 'I'm going to the store.' That shortened version — 'I'm' — is a contraction. Contractions are two words that have been combined into one shorter word, with an apostrophe (') replacing the missing letters.
Most contractions combine a pronoun or noun with a verb. 'I am' becomes 'I'm' — the apostrophe replaces the 'a' from 'am.' 'Do not' becomes 'don't' — the apostrophe replaces the 'o' from 'not.' 'She will' becomes 'she'll' — the apostrophe replaces 'wi.' Once you see the pattern, contractions are easy!
Contractions with 'not' are especially common. 'Is not' = isn't. 'Are not' = aren't. 'Cannot' = can't. 'Should not' = shouldn't. 'Would not' = wouldn't. Notice that 'cannot' is a special case — it is written as one word before the apostrophe is added.
One big thing to watch out for: the contraction 'it's' (it is) is often confused with 'its' (belonging to it). 'It's a beautiful day' = 'It is a beautiful day.' But 'The dog wagged its tail' — the dog owns the tail, so no apostrophe. If you can replace the word with 'it is' and the sentence still makes sense, use the apostrophe. If not, skip it. This trick catches this mistake every single time!
| Two Words | Contraction | Letters Replaced |
|---|---|---|
| I am | I'm | a |
| do not | don't | o |
| she will | she'll | wi |
| they are | they're | a |
| is not | isn't | o |
| cannot | can't | no |
| it is | it's | i |
Key terms
- contraction
- A shortened form of two words, with an apostrophe replacing the missing letters
- apostrophe
- The punctuation mark (') that replaces missing letters in a contraction
- it's vs. its
- 'It's' = it is (contraction); 'its' = belonging to it (possessive, NO apostrophe)
Flashcards
- contraction
- Two words joined into one with an apostrophe replacing missing letters
- I'm
- I am → I'm (apostrophe replaces 'a')
- don't
- do not → don't (apostrophe replaces 'o')
- can't
- cannot → can't (apostrophe replaces 'no')
- they're
- they are → they're (apostrophe replaces 'a')
- it's vs. its
- it's = it is (contraction); its = possessive (no apostrophe)
Practice questions
What is the contraction for 'do not'?
- do'nt
- don't
- dont'
- do'not
Show answer
Answer: don't
'Don't' = do + not. The apostrophe replaces the 'o' in 'not.'
In a contraction, an apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
Show answer
Answer: True
The apostrophe marks the spot where letters were removed to form the contraction.
The contraction 'she'll' is short for 'she ___'.
Show answer
Answer: will
'She'll' = she + will. The apostrophe replaces 'wi.'
Which sentence uses 'it's' CORRECTLY?
- The cat ate its food.
- It's a sunny day.
- The dog wagged it's tail.
- The bird flapped it's wings.
Show answer
Answer: It's a sunny day.
'It's' = 'it is.' You can test it: 'It is a sunny day' works. The other sentences use 'its' possessively.
'Can't' is the contraction for 'cannot'.
Show answer
Answer: True
'Cannot' = can't. This is a special case where 'cannot' is one word and the apostrophe replaces 'no.'
Fun facts
- The word 'won't' is a strange one — it comes from the old English 'woll not' which became 'wonnot' and then 'won't.' It doesn't follow the normal 'will not' → 'willn't' pattern!
- Contractions have been used in English writing for over 400 years — Shakespeare used them in his plays.
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