TheLearnDen

Year 2 · English

Spell Contracted Words

6 checked activities 2 video matches

Start here

Focus on writing contractions with apostrophes. Start with “Learn How to Use Contractions”, then explain the idea in your own words.

Understand the key idea

A contraction joins two words into a shorter form. One or more letters are removed and an apostrophe is placed where those missing letters would have been, such as “do not” becoming “don’t”.

What are contractions in KS1?

Contractions are shortened forms of two words. They are common in speech and informal writing. The apostrophe marks the place where one or more letters have been removed: "I am" becomes "I'm", "we are" becomes "we're", "cannot" becomes "can't", and "she will" becomes "she'll".

Children understand the pattern more reliably when they compare the full words with the contraction and identify exactly which letters disappeared. This is stronger than memorising the apostrophe as a decoration or putting it wherever the two original words meet.

A simple spelling check

Expand the contraction back into its full words. If the sentence still makes sense, identify the missing letters and check that the apostrophe is in their place. Remember that "won't" and "can't" are irregular-looking forms, so they may need extra practice. Contractions should also be distinguished from possessive apostrophes, which show belonging rather than missing letters.

Common mix-up

The apostrophe does not simply go between the two original words. It marks the position of the letters that were removed.

Try this first

  1. Write the two complete words.
  2. Cross out the letters that will be removed.
  3. Join the remaining letters and place the apostrophe where the missing letters were.

Ask: Which letters are missing, and where should the apostrophe show that gap?

Curriculum check: DfE English Appendix 2: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

Year 2 learners practise writing contractions with apostrophes.

The activities include Learn How to Use Contractions, Learn How to Write Contractions, Practise Spelling Contractions, and related practice. The checked support below includes video, worksheet, teaching, lesson. Open a resource in its provider's website and choose the format that best helps the learner explain the idea independently.

Activities covered

  • Learn How to Use Contractions
  • Learn How to Write Contractions
  • Practise Spelling Contractions
  • Practise Writing Contractions
  • Understand How to Write Contractions
  • Write Contractions

Choose a learning resource

Start with an explanation, then practise, then print. Labels show access and review status before you click.

Show
Type
Showing 5 of 5 listed resources
What the icons and labels mean

Formats

Watch — a video of a teacher explaining it

Learn — a lesson or teaching page to read and work through

Practise — questions or activities to try

Print — a worksheet you can print, usually with answers

Cost and account

Free completely free to use

verified free, but the site asks you to create an account first

part of a paid plan on that site

Check access access has not yet been confirmed, so it appears only under Everything

Review status

Verified match the match passed the full review gate and has a visible check date

Reviewed, not fully verified useful but not yet at the full verification bar

Awaiting review still waiting for review

Tell us how it went

This helped · Link or access problem · Not the right match

Oak National Academy, BBC Bitesize, Corbettmaths and Mathsframe normally open with no account. Twinkl access varies by resource, so we only show a free label after checking the resource's own page. Unconfirmed access appears only under Everything.

1

Watch it explained

a teacher walks through it

WatchOak National Academy

Apostrophes for Contraction

Best for: a clear explanation before you practise

FreeVerified match
Open video
WatchTwinkl

Year 2 Contractions Video Lesson

Best for: a clear explanation before you practise

Verified match
Open video
2

Learn it properly

lessons and teaching pages

3

Practise it

questions and activities to try

4

Print and finish

worksheets away from the screen