What is a contraction?
A contraction is a shorter way to say two words together. We use an apostrophe (') to show letters were left out.
Common contractions you’ll see
- I am → I’m
- You are → You’re
- He is → He’s
- She is → She’s
- We are → We’re
- They are → They’re
- It is → It’s
- That is → That’s
How to spot and use contractions
- Find two words that can go together, like I + am.
- Put them together with an apostrophe for the missing letters: I am → I’m.
- Practice by turning phrases into contractions: You are kind → You’re kind.
Quick practice
Write the contractions for these pairs:
- I am → I’m
- We are → We’re
- They are → They’re
Remember: Contractions are just two words becoming one with an apostrophe in place of the missing letters.