Worksheets on Contractions

Contractions

List o' Contractions

A contraction is a shortened form of one or two words (one of which is usually a verb). In a contraction, an apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter or letters. Some contractions are: I'm (I am), can't (cannot), how's (how is), and Ma'am (Madam).

For example, "don't" is a contraction that is short for "do not"; the apostrophe in "don't" takes the place of the missing "o". Another example is "o'clock," a contraction "of the clock." A less common example of a contraction is "jack-o'-lantern," short for "jack-of-lantern"; in it, the apostrophe takes the place of the missing "f" in "of."

List o' Common Contractions:

BE WILL WOULD HAVE HAD I I'm I am I'll I will I'd I would I've I have I'd I had you you're you are you'll you will you'd you would you've you have you'd you had he he's he is he'll he will he'd he would he's he has he'd he had she she's she is she'll she will she'd she would she's she has she'd she had it it's (or 'tis) it is it'll it will it'd it would it's it has it'd it had we we're we are we'll we will we'd we would we've we have we'd we had they they're they are they'll they will they'd they would they've they have they'd they had that that's that is that'll that will that'd that would that's that has that'd that had who who's who is who'll who will who'd who would who's who has who'd who had what what's/what're what is/what are what'll what will what'd what would what's what has what'd what had where where's where is where'll where will where'd where would where's where has where'd where had when when's when is when'll when will when'd when would when's when has when'd when had why why's why is why'll why will why'd why would why's why has why'd why had how how's how is how'll how will how'd how would how's how has how'd how had WORDS DOUBLE CONTRACTION she would have she'd've (colloquial) it is not 'tisn't (archaic)

WORDS (negating a verb) CONTRACTION is not isn't are not aren't was not wasn't were not weren't have not haven't has not hasn't had not hadn't will not won't would not wouldn't do not don't does not doesn't did not didn't cannot can't could not couldn't should not shouldn't might not mightn't must not mustn't WORDS (woulda-shoulda-coulda) CONTRACTION would have would've should have should've could have could've might have might've must have must've WORDS (odd ones) CONTRACTION of o' of the clock o'clock madam ma'am never-do-well ne'er-do-well cat-of-nine-tails cat-o'-nine-tails jack-of-the-lantern jack-o'-lantern will-of-the-wisp will-o'-the-wisp it was 'twas (archaic)

Related Reference Pages, Activities and Worksheets:

can't, I'll, shouldn't List o' Contractions Tables of common contractions.	Write Eight Contractions Think of and write eight contractions. Then, for each of them, write a sentence containing that word. Sample answers: can't, I'll, you'd, should've, that's, how's, didn't, doesn't.	Circle the Correct Contractions #1 Circle the correct contractions in the sentences in this printable worksheet. Or go to the answers.	Circle the Correct Contractions #2 Circle the correct contractions in the sentences in this printable worksheet. Or go to the answers.
Match Contractions to Equivalents #1 Match 10 contractions to their equivalents. The words are should've/should have, can't/cannot, don't/do not, I'm/I am, couldn't/could not, you've/you have, she's/she is, who's/who is, doesn't/does not, they're/they are. Or go to the answers.	Match Contractions to Equivalents #2 Match 10 contractions to their equivalents. The words are I'll/I will, we're/we are, shouldn't/should not, you'd/you would, would've/would have, you're/you are, he's/he has, didn't/did not, they've/they have, that's/that is. Or go to the answers.	Match Contractions to Equivalents #3 Match 10 contractions to their equivalents. The words are she'd/she would, you've/you would, I'd/I had, he'll/he will, doesn't/does not, it's/it is, where'd/where would, might've/might have, that'll, wouldn't/would not. Or go to the answers.	Match Contractions to Equivalents #4 Match 10 contractions to their equivalents. The words are I've/I have, wasn't/was not, what'll/what will, hasn't/has not, how's/how is, we'd/we would, it'll/it will, won't/will not, they'll/they will, when's/when is. Or go to the answers.
Contractions - Multiple Choice Comprehension Quiz #1 Answer 10 multiple choice questions on contractions. For example: We're is short for: we are, we here, or we were. Words: I'll, we're, you'd, don't, isn't, it's, you're, she'd, they're, won't. Or go to the answers.	Contractions - Multiple Choice Comprehension Quiz #2 Answer 10 multiple choice questions on contractions. For example: The contraction for "it is" is: its, it's, i'ts. Words: you're, we'll, I'd, won't, how'll, haven't, who'd, I've, why's, when'd. Or go to the answers.	Its/It's Commonly Misused Words - Comprehension Worksheet In this printable, students read the definitions of two commonly-misused words, its and it's, then answer questions about the words and fill in the blanks in sentences. Or go to the answers.	There/Their/They're Commonly Misused Words - Comprehension Worksheet In this printable, students read the definitions of three commonly-misused words, there, their and they're, then answer questions about the words and fill in the blanks in sentences. Or go to the answers.
Who's/Whose Commonly Misused Words - Comprehension Worksheet In this printable, students read the definitions of two commonly-misused words, whose and who's, then answer questions about the words and fill in the blanks in sentences. Or go to the answers.	Your/You're Commonly Misused Words - Comprehension Worksheet In this printable, students read the definitions of two commonly-misused words, your and you're, then answer questions about the words and fill in the blanks in sentences. Or go to the answers.