List of Contractions

A contraction shortens words by replacing one or more letters with an apostrophe. Many reading curriculums introduce this concept in second grade. Our reading program expects a second grade student to use an apostrophe to form both contractions and frequently occurring possessives.

Contractions

The following words are commonly used to form contractions.

am	are	have	is, has
will or shall	would, had	us	not

Contractions Lesson Plans

When possible, make learning new things entertaining. My daughter came home the other day so excited to tell me about the apostrophe fairy; he’s a close relative of the tooth fairy. She brought home a booklet that used both a fictional character and a story to reinforce the use of apostrophes in both contractions and possessives. It’s a great story that can be used when teaching contractions to help a child grasp and retain the concept.

Mr. Apostrophe, a tiny elf, enjoyed eating letters. Every time he ate a letter (or two) he would accidently leave his little curved finger print (an apostrophe).

If Mr. Apostrophe came upon the words let us, he would eat the letter “u” resulting in the word let’s. As you tell the story write down let’s and have your child or class locate his “finger print”?

Similarly if he came upon the words we will, he would eat both the letter “w” and “i” resulting in the word we’ll. Consider writing down the words, “we will” and then erase the letters that when removed form the contraction, we’ll.

Mr. Apostrophe began feeling guilty about taking letters that did not belong to him. So he decided to give the people he knew some gifts. He did not eat these letters but he did leave his little curved finger print.

• He left the townspeople books for their school. He wrote on the note, “School’s books.” Note: his curved finger print is between the “l” and “s.”
• He sent flowers to his teacher. He wrote on the note, “Mrs. B’s flowers.” As you tell the story write down Mrs. B’s flowers and have your child or class locate his “finger print.”
• He also drew a picture for his favorite bus driver. He wrote on the note, Mr. Smiths’ picture.”

List of Contractions

AM
I am	I’m	Example: I’m a girl.

ARE
You are	you’re	Example: You’re funny.
We are	we’re	Example: We’re family.
They are	they’re	Example: They’re going to the store.
Who are	who’re	Example: Who’re you?

HAVE
I have	I’ve	Example: I’ve had too much fun.
You have	you’ve	Example: You’ve been a good friend.
We have	we’ve	Example: We’ve been to the park.
They have	they’ve	Example: They’ve been on the swings.
Could have	could’ve	Example: He could’ve caught a cold.
Would have	would’ve	Example: We would’ve worn a coat.
Should have	should’ve	Example: She should’ve put on a hat.
Might have	might’ve	Example: I might’ve asked another question.
Who have	who’ve	Example: Who’ve you spoken to?
There have	there’ve	Example: There’ve been a number of calls today.

IS, HAS
He is/ has	he’s	Example: He’s a nice boy.
She is/ has	she’s	Example: She’s a nice girl.
It is/ has	it’s	Example: It’s a nice day.
What is/ has	what’s	Example: What’s for dinner?
That is/ has	that’s	Example: That’s good news.
Who is/ has	who’s	Example: Who’s cooking tonight?
There is/has	there’s	Example: There’s no food in the house.
Here is/has	here’s	Example: Here’s a bunch of take out menus.
One is/has	one’s	Example: One’s plenty.

WILL (or SHALL)
I will	I’ll	Example: I’ll see you soon.
You will	you’ll	Example: You’ll be on time, right?
She will	she’ll	Example: She’ll be late.
He will	he’ll	Example: He’ll be early.
It will	it’ll	Example: It’ll be here soon.
We will	we’ll	Example: We’ll see you later.
They will	they’ll	Example: They’ll get there first.
That will	that’ll	Example: That’ll be great.
There will	there’ll	Example: There’ll be lots to see.
This will	this’ll	Example: This’ll be fun.
What will	what’ll	Example: What’ll we do?
Who will	who’ll	Example: Who’ll be there?

WOULD, HAD
I would/ had	I’d	Example: I’d like a glass of water.
You would/ had	you’d	Example: You’d prefer juice?
He would/ had	he’d	Example: He’d like a soda.
She would/ had	she’d	Example: She’d like milk.
We would/ had	we’d	Example: We’d like it soon.
They would/ had	they’d	Example: They’d like something to eat.
It would/ had	it’d	Example: It’d be difficult.
There would/ had	there’d	Example: There’d be a little delay.
What would/ had	what’d	Example: What’d you expect?
Who would/ had	who’d	Example: Who’d have known?
That would/ had	that’d	Example: That’d be great.

US
Let us	let’s	Example: Let’s help our teacher.

Negative Contractions

NOT
Cannot	can’t	Example: I can’t open the door.
Do not	don’t	Example: Don’t move.
Is not	isn’t	Example: It isn’t safe.
Will not	won’t	Example: I won’t enter.
Should not	shouldn’t	Example: I shouldn’t go first.
Could not	couldn’t	Example: I couldn’t be second.
Would not	wouldn’t	Example: I wouldn’t want to be third.
Are not	aren’t	Example: Aren’t you coming?
Does not	doesn’t	Example: He doesn’t want to go.
Was not	wasn’t	Example: He wasn’t kidding.
Were not	weren’t	Example: They weren’t afraid.
Has not	hasn’t	Example: He hasn’t responded yet.
Have not	haven’t	Example: I haven’t got a clue.
Had not	hadn’t	Example: I hadn’t thought of that.
Must not	mustn’t	Example: I mustn’t get too upset.
Did not	didn’t	Example: He didn’t know.
Might not	mightn’t	Example: I mightn’t do it next year.
Need not	needn’t	Example: You needn’t worry about that today.

Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.