Language e-Link Eleven:
Apostrophes in Contractions

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Contraction Tips:

A contraction is a word formed by combining two words, dropping some of their letters, and replacing the letters with an apostrophe.

Use apostrophes in contractions to show where letters have been dropped.


Directions: Study the examples below that show sentences with and without contractions.


Sentences without Contractions
Sentences with
Contractions

1. I bet you did not know that the 1880 United States Census took seven and a half years to finish.
1. I bet you didn't know that the 1880 United States Census took seven and a half years to finish.
2. Herman Hollerith thought
that a census should not take that long.


 2. Herman Hollerith thought that a census shouldn't take that long.
3. It is amazing that census workers did not have
calculators. 		3. It's amazing that census workers did not have calculators.



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