In English, contractions combine two words with an apostrophe. The apostrophe shows that letters have been removed. 'Do not' becomes 'don't' (the o of 'not' is removed). 'I have' becomes 'I've' (the ha of 'have' is removed). 'Can not' becomes 'can't'. 'Will not' becomes 'won't' (irregular — does not just remove letters). Contractions are everywhere in spoken English and informal writing. They make speech and writing flow naturally. Without contractions, English sounds robotic ('I do not know what you are saying' vs 'I don't know what you're saying'). But in formal writing — academic essays, business letters, formal reports — contractions are usually not used. Knowing when to use contractions and when to avoid them is a key skill at A2-B1 level. The lesson connects to the apostrophe lessons — possessives (#36), homophones (#52), and confused words (#67). Together they cover the main apostrophe issues.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
NEGATIVE CONTRACTIONS:
do not = don't
is not = isn't
are not = aren't
has not = hasn't
have not = haven't
will not = won't (irregular)
cannot = can't
The apostrophe shows the missing letters.
Why do English speakers use contractions?
Contractions make speech and writing flow naturally. 'I do not know' takes more time and effort to say than 'I don't know'. Native speakers use contractions constantly in casual speech. Without them, English sounds stiff and robotic. The apostrophe in contractions has a specific job — showing that letters have been removed. 'Don't' has the apostrophe between n and t (where the o of 'not' was). 'I've' has the apostrophe between I and ve (where the ha of 'have' was). 'Won't' is irregular — it does not just remove letters from 'will not'. The word changes. Most contractions follow the pattern of removing letters and using an apostrophe to mark the gap. Students who know the pattern can read and produce many contractions.
WITH BE:
I am = I'm
he is = he's
she is = she's
it is = it's
we are = we're
you are = you're
they are = they're
WITH HAVE:
I have = I've
he has = he's (note: he's can be 'he is' OR 'he has' — context tells which)
we have = we've
they have = they've
WITH WILL:
I will = I'll
he will = he'll
she will = she'll
it will = it'll
we will = we'll
they will = they'll
you will = you'll
WITH WOULD:
I would = I'd
he would = he'd
she would = she'd
Why is 'he's' tricky?
Most contractions are clear — 'I'm' is always 'I am', 'we're' is always 'we are'. But 'he's' has two possible meanings — 'he is' OR 'he has'. Context tells which. 'He's tall' (he is tall — describing). 'He's been to school' (he has been — perfect tense). The same applies to 'she's' and 'it's' (it is OR it has). Students need to read the context to know the meaning. Similarly, ''d' can be 'would' or 'had'. 'I'd like coffee' (I would like). 'I'd seen it before' (I had seen — past perfect). The contractions are ambiguous in form but clear in context. Students should know both possible meanings of each contraction. Practising with examples in different contexts fixes this.
USE CONTRACTIONS:
- In speech (almost always)
- In informal writing (text messages, chat, casual emails)
- In personal blogs, journals
- In dialogue in fiction
DO NOT USE CONTRACTIONS:
- In formal academic essays
- In business letters
- In formal reports
- In legal documents
- In academic papers
Why does the context matter?
Contractions signal informality. Using them in casual contexts is natural and expected. Using them in formal contexts looks too casual — students writing academic essays should write 'do not' instead of 'don't', 'will not' instead of 'won't', 'I have' instead of 'I've'. The full forms add formality and seriousness. The contractions add casualness and warmth. Students should know the conventions of their context — for spoken English, contractions are essential. For academic writing, full forms are standard. The choice signals to the reader what kind of writing this is. Teachers should encourage contractions in spoken practice and full forms in academic writing. The two are complementary, not opposed.
| Contraction | Full form | Notes | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| don't | do not | Most common negative contraction | I don't know the answer. |
| can't | cannot | From 'cannot' (one word) | I can't come tomorrow. |
| won't | will not | Irregular — not 'willn't' | He won't be here on Friday. |
| isn't | is not | Common with present simple | She isn't ready yet. |
| I'm | I am | Always means 'I am' | I'm a teacher. |
| he's / she's | he is / he has (or she) | Two possible meanings — context tells which | He's tall. (he is) / He's been there. (he has) |
| it's | it is / it has | NOT possessive (its) | It's raining. / It's been a long day. |
| we're / they're / you're | we are / they are / you are | Standard verb-be contractions | We're going home. / They're coming. / You're right. |
| I've | I have | Common with present perfect | I've finished my homework. |
| they'll | they will | Future contraction | They'll be here soon. |
| I'd | I would / I had | Two possible meanings — context tells | I'd like tea. (would) / I'd seen it. (had) |
PATTERN 1 — Negative contractions: Most negatives use n't. Do not = don't. Is not = isn't. Has not = hasn't. Will not = won't (irregular). The apostrophe replaces the o in not.
PATTERN 2 — Be contractions: I am = I'm. He is = he's. We are = we're. They are = they're. The apostrophe replaces letters from 'am', 'is', or 'are'.
PATTERN 3 — Have contractions: I have = I've. He has = he's. They have = they've. We have = we've. Note: he's can be 'he is' or 'he has' — context tells which.
PATTERN 4 — Will contractions: I will = I'll. He will = he'll. They will = they'll. We will = we'll.
PATTERN 5 — Would contractions: I would = I'd. He would = he'd. Note: 'd can be 'would' or 'had' — context tells which.
PATTERN 6 — Won't is irregular: 'Will not' becomes 'won't' (not 'willn't'). The word changes, not just letters removed. Memorise this irregular form.
PATTERN 7 — Use in context: Use contractions for speech and informal writing. Avoid contractions in formal academic essays, business letters, and reports. The choice signals formality.
Contractions are essential for natural English. Native speakers use them constantly. Students who avoid them sound robotic. But students using them in academic essays sound too casual. Knowing when to use contractions and when to avoid them is a key skill. The lesson connects to the apostrophe lessons — possessives (#36), homophones (#52), confused words (#67). The most common confusion is 'it's' (it is) vs 'its' (possessive — no apostrophe). Drilling the contractions and the formal/informal distinction is essential for B1+ students.
Drill contractions through speed practice. Call out a full form, students respond with the contraction. 'Do not' → 'don't'. 'I have' → 'I've'. 'They will' → 'they'll'. Reverse direction too. Speed forces automatic recall. Then practise the formal/informal distinction — same sentences in formal and informal contexts.
Choose the correct contraction form. Pay attention to the apostrophe.
Each sentence has a contraction error. Find the wrong form, write the correct one, and explain.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — What contractions are (5 min): Write 'do not' on the board. Show how it becomes 'don't' (apostrophe replaces o). Establish that contractions combine two words with an apostrophe. The apostrophe shows missing letters.
STEP 2 — Negative contractions (6 min): Drill the negative pattern. Don't, can't, won't, isn't, hasn't, wasn't, didn't, doesn't. Show that won't is irregular. Practise reading and writing each. Watch for missing apostrophes.
STEP 3 — Pronoun + verb contractions (8 min): Drill the pronoun patterns. With BE: I'm, he's, she's, it's, we're, they're, you're. With HAVE: I've, we've, they've. With WILL: I'll, he'll, they'll. With WOULD: I'd, they'd. Show that he's, she's, it's, 'd can have multiple meanings.
STEP 4 — When to use contractions (5 min): Discuss the formal/informal distinction. Speech: always contractions. Casual writing: contractions. Formal essays, business letters: full forms. Match register to context.
STEP 5 — Match formal and informal (1 min): Quick drill. Take a sentence in formal English and convert to casual with contractions. Or take a casual sentence and convert to formal with full forms. Speed forces awareness.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
Your feedback helps other teachers and helps us improve TeachAnyClass.