By Laura Payne
When children add contractions to their vocabulary, confusion and spelling mix-ups often follow. Because many common contractions sound the same or similar to already learned words, children tend to write the words they know even when the meaning they are looking for is that of the contraction.
Here are some contractions that are frequently confused with another word or words:
You’re = You are Your = It belongs to you
They’re = They are Their = It belongs to them There = A place
It’s = It is Its = It belongs to (inanimate noun)
We're = We are Were = Past tense of are Where = A place
You can help your child avoid the confusion by reviewing the words and the context in which they are used. One way to do this is to come up with one example sentence that includes the contraction and the frequently confused word or words. Putting the words in one sentence shows the differences between them better than using one example sentence for each word.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking:
I can tell you’re happy that your friend is here.
The Smiths love their cabin, and they’re going there this weekend.
It’s a beautiful day when the flower shows its buds.
We’re at the store. Where were you when we left?
Also, check out the post, Confusing Word Pairs, for more ideas about how to help your child with the spelling confusion brought about by contractions.
Notes:
Children tend to have a harder time understanding the it’s vs. its distinction because they learn that to make a noun possessive, they should add an apostrophe + s. If your child has learned about parts of speech, it is much easier to explain why possessive its does not have an apostrophe. It is a possessive pronoun, and none of the possessive pronouns have an apostrophe + s.
There is another problem caused by certain contractions that involves sounds and spelling in a different manner. When many people hear the contractions should’ve, could’ve, would’ve and might’ve, which are very common in casual speech, they tend to think that they are hearing two separate words. This is why it is not uncommon to see people write should of, could of, would of, and might of instead of writing the correct non-contracted versions with the word have.
About Laura Payne
A self-confessed language nerd, Laura Payne is the mother of two boys, and she is a part-time English teacher. She has also done freelance writing about several topics including the structure and grammar of English.
