Contraction
- A contraction is one word made up of two words.
- We do this to make things short and trim.
- The first word usually stays the same.
- We take certain letters out of the second word.
- An apostrophe will fill the space of the missing letters.
Examples
- Have not à Haven’t
- Is not à Isn’t
- Cannot à Can’t
- I have à I’ve
- I had à I’d
- You are à You’re
- We can use contractions in normal speech and informal writing (writing notes / writing to family and friends)
- We should not use contractions in formal writing. In this case, use the original words.
Example
- ‘Do not’ rather than ‘don’t’.
An apostrophe and an ‘s’ together on some nouns mean possession.
- The girl’s bag is stolen. (Possessive noun)
- The girl’s smart! (The girl is smart) (contraction)
How to tell the difference?
If the noun is followed by a second noun, then it is possessive.
- The girl’s shoes are pretty
- Mia’s purse has gone missing.
If the noun is followed by a verb, then it is a contraction.
- The girl’s irritated.
- Mia’s a great doctor!
Another thing to keep in mind.
- In contractions, be careful when you use (‘s) and (‘d)
- (How’s) could be (How is) or (How has)
- (How’d) could be (How would) or (How had)
Example
- How’s your arm? (How is)
- How’s it been? (How has it been)
- So, we have to read the sentence to figure out the correct usage.
Related topics
Informational Text – Features, Types with Examples
What is an Information Text? Any piece of writing falls under the category of fiction or non-fiction. Fiction is a work of imagination (made up story), whereas non-fiction is based on facts and actual events or real people. Informational texts are non-fiction works that inform the readers about a specific topic. They are found in […]
Figurative Language : Types and Examples
Figurative Language What is Figurative Language? A language that describes something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Types of Figurative Language: Imagery The Language that appeals to the senses. Descriptions of people or objects are stated in terms of our senses. Simile It includes a straight comparison between two unlike things, […]
Types and Uses of Punctuation Marks with Examples
Imagine reading a story with no full stops, no commas, and no question marks! You will not be able to understand what it meant. It would feel messy and hard to follow. That is where punctuation marks come in. They help organise our thoughts and make writing easier to read. They show pauses, expressions, and […]
Naming Words for Class 2: Simple English Guide
Naming words are names of people, animals, birds, places or things. E.g. Leo, Rat, Crow, London, Book Four types of naming words E.g. Leo, Andrea, Father, Mother E.g. School, London, Park, New york E.g. Tiger, Monkey, Cow, Parrots E.g. Box, Pen, Apples, Car Everything that we can touch, feel, see and talk about is represented by […]
Other topics
Comments: