Contractions are an essential part of spoken and written English, and they can be challenging to master. However, with the right activities and guidance, learning contractions can be an engaging and enjoyable experience for students of all ages.
Here are twenty activities that you can use to learn and practice contractions.
1. Use a contraction dictionary
To start with, you need to keep a contraction dictionary to have a reference to contractions. You can create it yourself, research for materials online or buy an English dictionary that features such contractions.
2. Identify contractions in a text
Read through a passage and underline all the contractions that you can find. Once you’ve identified them, read the sentence aloud and apply the contraction.
3. Play contraction memory game
Create a set of contraction cards and a set of word cards. Shuffle them and lay them out on a table face down. Students take turns flipping over one word card and one contraction card, trying to find the matching pair.
4. Write contractions in sentences
Write sentences with missing contractions, and ask students to fill in the correct contraction. This can be done as an individual activity or as a group activity.
5. Contraction scramble
Mix up the words of a contraction and ask students to unscramble them to form the correct contraction.
6. Contraction sentence race
Divide the class into teams and give each team a set of sentence strips. Each sentence will contain a contraction. The first team to correctly say the sentence with the contraction wins a point.
7. Writing contraction stories
Ask students to write stories that contain at least 10 contractions. Encourage creativity and imagination.
8. Contraction bingo
Create bingo cards filled with contractions, and call out the words. The first student to get bingo wins a prize.
9. Contraction fill-in-the-blank
Create sentences with missing contractions, and ask students to fill in the blanks. This activity can be done as a group or individually.
10. Contraction match-up game
Divide students into pairs and give each pair a set of word cards and contraction cards. The students need to match up the word card with the contraction card.
11. Contraction puzzle
Create a puzzle with different contractions, and ask students to put the puzzle together.
12. Contraction charades
Create a set of charade cards with different contractions, and have students act out the contractions. The first team to guess the correct contraction wins a point.
13. Contraction spelling bee
Have students spell out contractions in a spelling bee format. This activity can be done individually or as a group.
14. Contraction word search
Create a word search with different contractions for students to find.
15. Contraction hangman
Play a game of hangman, but instead of words, use contractions.
16. Contraction storytelling
Provide students with a story to read that includes contractions. Ask them to retell the story in their own words, including the contractions.
17. Use contractions in conversation
Encourage the use of contractions in conversation. This can be done in class or in casual conversation outside the classroom.
18. Contraction ball toss
Throw a ball to a student and give them a sentence with a missing contraction. The student must complete the sentence with the correct contraction before throwing the ball to another student.
19. Create a contraction poster
Have students create a poster that explains different contractions and how to use them in sentences.
20. Contraction song
Create a song that includes different contractions. Sing the song as a group, or have individuals perform it on their own.
Learning and practicing contractions can be a fun and engaging experience with the right activities. By incorporating these activities into your teaching or learning routine, you can help students master contractions and improve their overall communication skills.
