3rd Grade spelling
3rd Grade Contractions
Contractions spelling list: two words joined with an apostrophe, like don't, can't, I'm, they're and we'll. Play hangman or print a worksheet.
Read the spelling list
The pattern: Two words squeezed into one, with an apostrophe marking the missing letters.
A contraction joins two words into one and uses an apostrophe to mark the missing letters. Do not becomes don't, with the o dropped, and I am becomes I'm. The apostrophe goes exactly where the letters were removed, not between the two words. That one rule fixes the commonest contraction mistake, writing do'nt for don't.
On this list, each contraction is shown with the two words it replaces. Not-contractions are the largest group: can't, don't, isn't, aren't, wasn't, didn't, couldn't and shouldn't. Pronoun contractions combine a pronoun with am, are, is, will, have or would, as in I'm, you're, she's, they'll and we've. Let's means let us. Won't is the odd one out, because will not does not simply drop a letter: the vowel changes to o. Students should learn it as an irregular case.
35 entries. Our solver needed 4.0 wrong guesses on average: 8 easy, 12 medium and 15 hard. The toughest is won't (9 misses), the quickest weren't (0).
- can't · can not Hard · 6
- don't · do not Hard · 5
- won't · will not Hard · 9
- isn't · is not Medium · 3
- aren't · are not Easy · 1
- wasn't · was not Easy · 1
- weren't · were not Easy · 0
- doesn't · does not Easy · 0
- didn't · did not Hard · 6
- hasn't · has not Easy · 1
- haven't · have not Medium · 2
- couldn't · could not Medium · 3
- wouldn't · would not Medium · 4
- shouldn't · should not Medium · 3
- i'm · I am Hard · 9
- you're · you are Medium · 2
- we're · we are Medium · 3
- they're · they are Easy · 0
- it's · it is Medium · 3
- he's · he is Hard · 8
- she's · she is Easy · 1
- that's · that is Medium · 3
- there's · there is Easy · 0
- what's · what is Hard · 5
- let's · let us Medium · 2
- i'll · I will Hard · 7
- you'll · you will Hard · 5
- we'll · we will Hard · 8
- they'll · they will Medium · 3
- i've · I have Hard · 5
- you've · you have Hard · 6
- we've · we have Hard · 6
- they've · they have Medium · 2
- i'd · I would Hard · 8
- you'd · you would Hard · 9
Words worth a closer look
- won'tWill not, but the vowel changes: wo plus n't. The only common contraction that does not follow the cross-out rule.
- can'tCan not with the n and o in not dropped, and the a in can kept. In US spelling, cannot is normally written as one word.
- let'sLet us, with the u dropped. Students sometimes write lets, which is a different word.
- it'sIt is, or it has. Not the same as its, which shows ownership.
- they'reThey are. Easily confused with their and there, which sound exactly the same.
Teaching it
Teach contractions as a two-step process: write the two words, then decide which letters to cross out and put the apostrophe there. Practicing with cards that show the full form on one side and the contraction on the other builds the habit. The big confusions are it's versus its, and they're versus their and there. It's always means it is or it has; its is the possessive.
In hangman, give the full form as the clue: do not. Players then need to guess the shorter word, apostrophe included. Let students write the long forms on the printable and then fold each pair into a contraction.
Print a 3rd Grade Contractions worksheet
Eight puzzles on one US Letter page, with a clue, letter blanks, an empty frame to draw in, an alphabet strip to cross off and circles to count misses. Page two is the answer key.
Need another sheet?
Draw eight different words from this list, right here. Same layout, new answer key.
Keep going
- 3rd Grade Words With the Prefix UnSpelling words that start with the prefix un, meaning not, like unhappy, unfair, unsafe and unlucky. Play hangman or print a worksheet with an answer key.
- 3rd Grade Words With the Prefix ReSpelling words that start with the prefix re, usually meaning again, like rebuild, restart, replace and remove. Play hangman or print a worksheet.
- 3rd Grade Words With the Prefix DisSpelling words starting with the prefix dis, meaning not or the opposite of, like disagree, dislike, disappear and discount. Play hangman or print a list.
- 3rd Grade Words Ending in Ful and LessSpelling words ending in ful and less, like helpful, hopeful, careless and homeless. Play hangman with the list or print a worksheet with an answer key.
- 3rd Grade Words Ending in LySpelling words ending in ly, like quickly, slowly, finally and friendly. Play hangman with the list or print a worksheet with an answer key.
- 3rd Grade Words Ending in NessSpelling words ending in ness, like kindness, sadness, darkness and happiness. Play hangman with the list or print a worksheet with an answer key.