DoodleBeezTM
SubscribeFREE

Video lesson with Luna

Contractions for Kids: Squeeze Two Words into One (Grade 2 English)

🎓 Grade 2 📖 English ⏱️ 2 min 14 sec Age 7

Luna from DoodleBeez shows how a contraction joins two words into one shorter word, with an apostrophe where the missing letters were. Kids build contractions with not, is, am, are, will and have, and meet the rule breaker won't. Common Core L.2.2c.

🎮 Practice this skill ▶ Watch on YouTube

Video transcript

Show or hide

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are learning about contractions. A contraction is two words squeezed together into one shorter word. An apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters.

Look at do not. We push the two words together and take out the letter O from not. The apostrophe sits right where the O used to be. Do not becomes don't.

Lots of contractions use not. Is not becomes isn't. Cannot becomes can't. Did not becomes didn't. Each time, the apostrophe takes the place of the letters we left out.

Other contractions join a word with is, am or are. I am becomes I'm. She is becomes she's. They are becomes they're. Each apostrophe shows where letters were left out.

We can shorten will and have too. I will becomes I'll. We will becomes we'll. You have becomes you've. The apostrophe replaces W I in will, and H A in have.

One contraction breaks the pattern. Will not becomes won't. It is a rule breaker, so we just remember it. Also, it's with an apostrophe always means it is.

Now it's your turn. Make a contraction for each pair. We are. Has not. I will. Pause and try. We are becomes we're. Has not becomes hasn't. I will becomes I'll.

Great job! A contraction squeezes two words into one, and the apostrophe shows where letters are missing. Practice contractions in the Word Explorers at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!

More english videos for Grade 2

Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives for Kids: Naming, Doing and Describing Words (Grade 2 English)Learn three big word jobs with Luna from DoodleBeez. Nouns name a person, place or thing, verbs show an action, and adjectives describe a noun, and you will sort them in real sentences. Common Core L.K.1b, L.1.1b, L.1.1f and L.2.1e.Age 7
Soft C and Soft G for Kids: When C Says S and G Says J (Grade 2 English)Luna from DoodleBeez explains hard and soft sounds for the letters c and g. Kids learn the e, i, y rule that usually makes c say s and g say j, plus a few rule breakers to watch for. Common Core RF.2.3 and L.2.2d.Age 7
ABC Order by the Second Letter for Kids: When Words Start the Same (Grade 2 English)Put words in ABC order with Luna from DoodleBeez. Children learn what to do when words share the same first letter, by looking at the second letter and then the third. Common Core L.2.2e and RF.2.3.Age 7
Collective Nouns for Kids: A Flock, a Herd and a Team (Grade 2 English)Learn collective nouns with Luna from DoodleBeez. Children find out that a collective noun names a whole group, match groups like a flock of birds and a herd of cows, and use them in sentences. Common Core L.2.1a.Age 7
Guide Words for Kids: Find Any Word in a Picture Dictionary (Grade 2 English)Learn to use a picture dictionary with Luna from DoodleBeez. Children see how words are listed in ABC order and use the guide words at the top of a page to decide quickly whether a word belongs there. Common Core L.2.4e and RI.2.5.Age 7
Plural Nouns for Kids: When to Add s and When to Add es (Grade 1 and 2 English)Learn to make plural nouns with Luna from DoodleBeez. Add s to most nouns, add es to nouns ending in s, ss, sh, ch or x, and listen for the extra beat that es makes. Common Core L.1.1c, RF.1.3f and L.2.2d.Ages 6 to 7

🎬 View all videos

For grown ups

The video plays from YouTube in its privacy enhanced mode, only after your child taps play. Pause at the Your turn part and let your child answer out loud, then try the practice game or print a worksheet.