A contraction is a word that started out as two words but has been shortened to one word with an apostrophe in it. To make a contraction, two words are bumped together, and some letters get removed. The apostrophe is inserted to show where letters were taken out.
Here are some contractions using the word not:
can not = can’t
do not = don’t
will not = won’t
should not = shouldn’t
would not = wouldn’t
are not = aren’t
is not = isn’t
did not = didn’t
Look closely at each contraction. Notice which letters were bumped out when the two words were pushed together to make one word. See how the apostrophe gets inserted where the letters were taken out.
Use a contraction exactly the same as you would use the two words. Look at this example:
I did not do my homework.
I didn’t do my homework.
A contraction is a word formed when two words are bumped together. Some letters are removed and replaced with an apostrophe. Use a contraction in a sentence exactly as you would have used the two words.
It’s your turn. Make these two words into a contraction and use the contraction in a sentence: are not. Did you figure it out? Good for you!