Year 4 · English · Language
Apostrophes for contractions
Using an apostrophe to show where letters have been left out when two words are joined, as in 'don't', 'it's' and 'we'll'.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to UK year groups by age (Year 1 is the year a child turns 6 in England). They are not mapped to the National Curriculum in England or the curricula of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so check them against your own plans.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Understand that a contraction joins two words and leaves out some letters.
- Place the apostrophe exactly where the letters have been left out.
- Use common contractions such as 'don't', 'it's' and 'we'll' correctly in writing.
Success looks like
- I can say which two words make a contraction.
- I can put the apostrophe where the missing letters were.
- I can tell the difference between 'it's' and 'its'.
The big idea
When we talk, we often squash two words together: 'I am' becomes 'I'm', and 'do not' becomes 'don't'. These short words are called contractions. In writing, we use an apostrophe (') to show where letters have been left out.
The apostrophe goes exactly where the missing letters were, not where the two words join. In 'do not', the o in 'not' is left out, so the apostrophe goes in its place: don't.
- do not → don't (the o is left out)
- is not → isn't (the o is left out)
- I am → I'm (the a is left out)
- we will → we'll (the w and i are left out)
- they are → they're (the a is left out)
- it is → it's (the i is left out)
A few contractions are irregular. Won't means 'will not' and can't comes from 'cannot'. You simply need to learn these.
Take special care with it's and its. 'It's' always means 'it is' or 'it has': 'It's raining.' 'Its' with no apostrophe means 'belonging to it': 'The dog wagged its tail.' Test it by reading the sentence with 'it is' in place of the word. If it makes sense, use it's.
Contractions suit friendly writing, stories and speech. In more formal writing, such as a letter to a council or a report, writers often use the full words instead.
Worked examples
Making a contraction
Make a contraction from 'she is'.
- Write the two words together: sheis.
- Decide which letter to leave out: the i in 'is'.
- Put an apostrophe in its place: she's.
Answer: she's
Finding the full words
What two words make 'we'll'?
- Find the first word before the apostrophe: we.
- The 'll' after the apostrophe is what is left of 'will'.
- Check: 'We'll go soon' means 'We will go soon'.
Answer: we will
It's or its?
Choose: 'The cat licked ___ paw.'
- Try 'it is': 'The cat licked it is paw.' That does not make sense.
- So the word means 'belonging to it'.
- Use 'its' with no apostrophe.
Answer: The cat licked its paw.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
What is the contraction for 'do not'?
don't — The o in 'not' is left out, so the apostrophe goes there: don't.
'We'll' is short for…
we will — 'We'll' joins 'we' and 'will', leaving out the w and i.
Which is the correct contraction for 'is not'?
isn't — The o in 'not' is left out, so the apostrophe goes between n and t.
Which sentence uses 'it's' correctly?
It's raining today. — 'It's raining' means 'It is raining'. The other sentences need 'its' (belonging to it).
'Won't' is short for…
will not — 'Won't' is an irregular contraction of 'will not'.
Write the contraction for 'I am'.
I'm — The a is left out: I'm.
Write the contraction for 'cannot'.
can't — 'Cannot' becomes 'can't'.
Write the two words that 'they're' is short for.
they are — 'They're' = 'they are', with the a left out.
Watch out for
- Putting the apostrophe where the two words join ('do'nt'). The apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
- Using 'it's' for 'belonging to it' ('The dog wagged it's tail'). Test with 'it is'.
- Adding apostrophes to plurals ('two apple's'). Plurals do not need an apostrophe.
Tips for parents
- Write the two full words on a card, then fold the card so the missing letters are hidden and place an apostrophe over the fold.
- When your child writes a contraction, ask them to say the two full words aloud.
- Practise 'it's' and 'its' a little at a time. Many adults find it tricky too.
Go further
- Hunt through a comic or picture book for contractions and write the full words next to each.
- Rewrite a formal sentence in a chatty way using contractions, then change it back.
- Make a contraction matching game with pairs of cards (do not / don't) and play memory.
About 30 minutes
You'll need
- Word cards for pairs such as 'do' + 'not', 'I' + 'am', 'we' + 'will'
- Small sticky notes or a cut-out apostrophe card
- Lined paper and a pencil
Key words
- contraction
- A short word made by joining two words and leaving out some letters, such as 'don't' for 'do not'.
- apostrophe
- A punctuation mark (') that shows where letters have been left out.
- omit
- To leave out.
- formal
- Careful, polite language, where contractions are often written out in full.
Still tricky?
For parents
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