Apostrophes for Contraction — Year 2 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: English Appendix 2 — Punctuation: apostrophes for contraction — Year 2
Overview
Pupils learn how apostrophes are used to show where letters have been omitted in contracted forms. They practise reading and writing common contractions, and understand how contractions are used in informal and spoken-style writing.
Learning Objectives
- Understand that an apostrophe for contraction shows where a letter or letters have been removed.
- Read and write common contracted forms correctly.
- Distinguish between contracted forms and their expanded equivalents.
- Use contractions appropriately in informal writing contexts.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show two versions of the same sentence: 'I do not want to go' and 'I don't want to go'. Ask: what has changed? What does the apostrophe represent? Collect ideas.
Explain that an apostrophe in a contraction marks where letters have been removed. Work through common contractions: don't, can't, won't, I'm, I've, he's, she's, they're, it's, we're. Show the expanded form alongside each. Note: 'won't' = 'will not' (irregular — the spelling changes).
Pupils match contractions to their expanded forms, then expand a set of contractions and contract a set of full phrases. Highlight 'won't' as the tricky one.
Pupils rewrite a short passage of formal writing using contractions to make it sound more conversational, then write three original sentences using different contractions.
Spot the difference: display a sentence with 'its' and one with 'it's'. Ask: which is the contraction? Which shows belonging? Introduce the distinction (to be revisited formally later).
Common Misconceptions
- 'won't' trips pupils up — make explicit that it comes from 'will not', not 'wo not'.
- Confusing 'it's' (it is) with 'its' (belonging to it) — flag this now even though the possessive apostrophe is taught later.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Ability to write sentences with capital letters and full stops.
- Familiarity with common words such as 'do not', 'cannot', 'I am' in reading.
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