How to Form and Use Contractions

GrammarSongs by Melissa

This educational video provides a clear and visually engaging introduction to grammatical contractions in the English language. Using a whiteboard animation style on a bright yellow background, the narrator explains the definition of a contraction as two words shortened into one, with an apostrophe replacing the missing letters. The video demonstrates the mechanics of forming contractions through three specific examples: "I am" to "I'm," "did not" to "didn't," and "she is" to "she's." The video focuses on key themes of grammar, punctuation mechanics, and reading fluency. It emphasizes the visual rule that an apostrophe takes the place of removed letters, a concept often difficult for young learners to visualize. It also distinguishes contractions from other words that might contain apostrophes, though it focuses primarily on the formation of common contractions used in daily speech and writing. For educators, this resource is an excellent visual aid for introducing or reviewing apostrophe usage. The step-by-step animation of crossing out letters and inserting the apostrophe acts as a perfect model for "contraction surgery" activities. The rapid-fire list of examples at the end provides a built-in reading list for choral practice, making this a versatile tool for 1st through 3rd-grade language arts instruction.