Contractions for Grade 3: Missing Letters, Examples & Practice

Say the full words first

A contraction is a shortened form made by leaving out letters. In common English contractions, an apostrophe marks the missing letters. The name contraction does not mean that any two words can be squeezed together: English has established forms, and some do not follow a simple spelling pattern.

Start with I am, you are, we are, they are, is not and do not. Say each full expression in a short sentence before shortening it. This connects the spelling exercise to meaning, rather than treating the apostrophe as a decoration to insert wherever a word looks short.

Build we’re one letter at a time

Write WE ARE on two pieces of paper. To form we’re, keep we and re, remove the a and the space, and place the apostrophe where the missing a was. Read both versions aloud: We are taking turns. We’re taking turns. The idea stays the same.

For do not → don’t, the o in not disappears. The n stays. A common mistake, do’nt, puts the mark before a letter that has not disappeared. Use the expansion do not to check the position. For I am → I’m, the a disappears. Keep the capital I.

A small reference table worth learning

I am → I’m; you are → you’re; we are → we’re; they are → they’re; he is → he’s; she is → she’s; it is → it’s; is not → isn’t; are not → aren’t; did not → didn’t; do not → don’t; have not → haven’t. Practise a few in useful sentences rather than memorising the whole list in one sitting.

Cannot becomes can’t. Will not becomes won’t: it is an established irregular form, so writing willn’t is not correct. Let us becomes let’s when inviting someone to do something together. A learner can first recognise these forms in reading and then learn their spellings separately.

Worked example: edit a message without changing its meaning

Original: We are at the gate. I am carrying the blue bag. It is not heavy. Rewrite: We’re at the gate. I’m carrying the blue bag. It isn’t heavy. Now expand every shortened form to check it: we are, I am, is not.

Notice that the last sentence has another possibility: It’s not heavy. That is also grammatical because it’s expands to it is. Choose one natural version; do not write It’sn’t. You do not need to contract every possible expression to make a piece of writing good.

Worked example: its and it’s do different jobs

Compare The kite lost its tail and It’s too windy to fly. In the second sentence, it is too windy makes sense, so it’s is appropriate. In the first, The kite lost it is tail does not make sense. Its is the possessive form and has no apostrophe.

An apostrophe with s can also show possession: Mina’s bag means the bag belonging to Mina. It can be a contraction in Mina’s waiting, meaning Mina is waiting. The whole sentence tells you the job. Do not label every apostrophe-s as a contraction.

Expand ambiguous forms using the sentence

He’s tired normally expands to he is tired. He’s finished the drawing can expand to he has finished the drawing. The same shortened spelling can therefore stand for different full expressions. The useful question is: which expansion makes this sentence grammatical and keeps its meaning?

For Grade 3, begin with forms whose expansion is clear. Treat ambiguous he’s, she’s and it’s as a stretch reading task, not a reason to tell a child that one memorised expansion always works. Avoid introducing every advanced contraction at once.

Where contractions fit in writing

Contractions are common in conversation, friendly messages and dialogue. A character saying I can’t reach it sounds natural. In some formal writing or school tasks, the full forms may be preferred. Follow the purpose, teacher’s instruction and intended reader; contractions are not automatically mistakes.

When practising, read the sentence aloud once in full and once contracted. If both mean the same thing, check the missing letters and apostrophe. If you cannot expand it confidently, pause and examine the words rather than guessing from sound. You’re and your sound alike for many speakers, but only you’re expands to you are.

A ten-minute word-card activity

Make five pairs of full-form cards: I/am, we/are, they/are, do/not, is/not. Keep a separate apostrophe card. Build one complete sentence, shorten the selected expression, and say which letters have been removed. Then swap roles: one person makes a deliberate spelling mistake and the other repairs it by expanding the form.

Use the record full words → missing letters → contraction → sentence. A learner who can explain two examples independently has shown more than one who copies ten rows. On another day, give a new sentence to see whether the child can transfer the idea. Keep the activity about words and meaning, not speed.

12 questions with explained answers

Try each question before revealing the answer. Explain your method, then change one detail and check whether the same reasoning still works.

1. Shorten: I am making a paper boat.

   Show answer and explanation

   I’m making a paper boat.
   The a from am is omitted. I stays capitalised.

2. Shorten: We are going outside.

   Show answer and explanation

   We’re going outside.
   We’re stands for we are; the apostrophe marks the omitted a.

3. Correct do’nt.

   Show answer and explanation

   don’t
   Expand it to do not. The missing letter is o in not; n remains before the apostrophe.

4. Expand: They aren’t late.

   Show answer and explanation

   They are not late.
   Aren’t is are not.

5. Choose: The rabbit moved (its / it’s) ears.

   Show answer and explanation

   its
   It is ears does not make sense. The sentence describes the rabbit’s own ears.

6. Choose: (Your / You’re) holding my book.

   Show answer and explanation

   You’re
   You are holding my book preserves the sentence’s meaning.

7. Shorten will not.

   Show answer and explanation

   won’t
   This is an irregular established contraction; do not invent willn’t.

8. Expand: She’s packed her bag.

   Show answer and explanation

   She has packed her bag.
   Has fits the completed action. She is packed her bag is not grammatical here.

9. Does Sam’s coat mean Sam is coat?

   Show answer and explanation

   No
   Here Sam’s shows possession. The coat belongs to Sam.

10. Rewrite in full: It’s cold, so we’re staying inside.

    Show answer and explanation

    It is cold, so we are staying inside.
    Both full forms fit their sentences. Do not change the tense or meaning.

11. Can It is not ready become It’s not ready?

    Show answer and explanation

    Yes
    It’s expands to it is. It isn’t ready is another correct option.

12. Write a friendly sentence using let’s, then expand it.

    Show answer and explanation

    Example: Let’s build a tower. → Let us build a tower.
    Other answers work if let’s introduces a shared suggestion and the expansion keeps the meaning.

Keep the ideas connected

• Practise punctuation and capitals
• Distinguish possession from contraction
• Check which verb fits your sentence
• Explore the learning games

For ongoing school-learning help, bring one attempted question to a conversation about tutoring and curriculum fit. Maths is our priority; English and Science tutoring are also available after a course-fit check.

Sources, scope and sharing

Examples, diagrams and questions are original BananaLearn work. They are not copied textbook solutions, official exam questions or an endorsed assessment. Grade labels are suggestions, not a promise about every school’s syllabus.

• British Council: apostrophes and contractions

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