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10 printable sets · answer key on every set

Contractions Worksheets

  • CCSS L.2.2.c
  • 20 items per set
  • Answer key included

What this skill is

Combining two words into one shorter word using an apostrophe in place of missing letters.

When it comes up: Second grade.

The mistake to watch for

Putting the apostrophe in the wrong spot — writing "don't" as "do'nt", placing it where the words originally joined rather than where letters were dropped.

How to help

Have your child cross out exactly the letters the apostrophe replaces in the original two words ("do not" → the o in "not" is dropped) before writing the contraction.

Next: Nouns and verbs, a different kind of word-level skill.

A worked example

A contraction squeezes two words into one, and an apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters. 'Did not' becomes 'didn't' — the apostrophe stands in for the o.

Words to know

contraction
Two words squeezed into one with an apostrophe, like don't for do not.
apostrophe
The little mark ( ' ) that shows letters are missing in a contraction, or that something belongs to someone.
letter
One of the symbols we use to write words, like a, b or c.
word
A group of letters that has a meaning.

Practice

Write each pair of words as one contraction.

Showing Set 1 · 20 items

  1. Write as one word: do not
  2. Write as one word: are not
  3. Write as one word: cannot
  4. Write as one word: I will
  5. Write as one word: was not
  6. Write as one word: is not
  7. Write as one word: I am
  8. Write as one word: we are
  9. Write as one word: could not
  10. Write as one word: should not
  11. Write as one word: it is
  12. Write as one word: they are
  13. Write as one word: I have
  14. Write as one word: he is
  15. Write as one word: let us
  16. Write as one word: did not
  17. Write as one word: will not
  18. Write as one word: does not
  19. Write as one word: you are
  20. Write as one word: she is

Download this set20 items · answer key included PDF

Answer key
  1. don't
  2. aren't
  3. can't
  4. I'll
  5. wasn't
  6. isn't
  7. I'm
  8. we're
  9. couldn't
  10. shouldn't
  11. it's
  12. they're
  13. I've
  14. he's
  15. let's
  16. didn't
  17. won't
  18. doesn't
  19. you're
  20. she's

All 10 sets

Each set is a different list of 20 items with its own answer key. Use the buttons above to look at one on this page, or download any of them as a PDF.

How these sheets were made
  • Problems are generated for each set and checked against L.2.2.c before the sheet is built — no duplicates, and every problem falls inside the standard's number range.

Common Core State Standards © 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.