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Apostrophes in Contractions Worksheet — Grade 4

Grade 4 students practice placing apostrophes correctly in contractions and expanding contractions back to two words in this focused exercise.

When two words are joined into one shorter word, the apostrophe shows exactly where letters were left out. That tiny mark is not a decoration — it is a signal to every reader that something has been removed. Grade 4 writers often know the most common contractions by sight, but they sometimes drop the apostrophe or slide it to the wrong spot under pressure. This worksheet gives students practice at three levels: recognizing contractions in context, choosing the right contraction to complete a sentence, and correcting misplaced or missing apostrophes. The final section asks students to write their own sentence, which shows whether they can apply the rule independently. Work through one section at a time and ask students to say the two full words aloud before checking their answer.

Apostrophes in Contractions Worksheet — Grade 4

Read each question carefully and follow the directions for that section. Every question is about apostrophes in contractions.

Remember

  • A contraction joins two words into one by leaving out letters. Example: will not = won't
  • The apostrophe ( ' ) goes exactly where the letters were removed, not between the two base words.
  • To check your contraction, write the two original words and see which letters are gone. Example: she is = she's

Part A — Circle the Contraction

Circle the contraction in each sentence.

  1. 1.

    We haven't visited the science museum since last spring.

  2. 2.

    Tomas couldn't find the right chapter in his textbook.

  3. 3.

    She's been working on her art project for two hours.

  4. 4.

    They'll need extra time to finish the reading assignment.

  5. 5.

    I wouldn't trade my favorite book for anything else.

Part B — Complete the Contraction

Write the correct contraction in the blank to complete each sentence.

  1. 6.

    Mia ____ remember to return her library books last Friday.

  2. 7.

    Yesterday, we ____ sure which planet is the largest in our system.

  3. 8.

    The clouds are dark, so ____ probably going to rain today.

  4. 9.

    Preethi said ____ bring her notebook to class tomorrow.

  5. 10.

    The snow globe ____ break if you set it down carefully.

Part C — Fix the Apostrophe Error

Each sentence has one apostrophe error. Write the sentence correctly on the line.

  1. 11.

    Theyre going to present their science project on Friday.

  2. 12.

    I ca'nt wait to read the next chapter of this book.

  3. 13.

    The students havent learned about volcanoes yet this year.

  4. 14.

    She would'nt lend her colored pencils to anyone in class.

Part D — Write Your Own Sentence

Write one sentence of your own that uses a contraction with the apostrophe in the correct place.

  1. 15.

    Write a sentence about school or science that uses one contraction. Make sure the apostrophe is in the right spot.

Answer key

Part A — Circle the Contraction

  1. 1.haven't
  2. 2.couldn't
  3. 3.She's
  4. 4.They'll
  5. 5.wouldn't

Part B — Complete the Contraction

  1. 6.didn't
  2. 7.weren't
  3. 8.it's
  4. 9.she'll
  5. 10.won't

Part C — Fix the Apostrophe Error

  1. 11.They're going to present their science project on Friday.
  2. 12.I can't wait to read the next chapter of this book.
  3. 13.The students haven't learned about volcanoes yet this year.
  4. 14.She wouldn't lend her colored pencils to anyone in class.

Part D — Write Your Own Sentence

  1. 15.Example: Fatima couldn't believe how quickly the science fair arrived.

What this worksheet teaches

  • Identify contractions in sentences and name the two words each one comes from.
  • Place an apostrophe in the exact position where letters were removed in a contraction.
  • Expand any contraction back to its two source words to verify correct apostrophe placement.

What is on the page

In Part C — Fix the Apostrophe Error, “Theyre going to present their science project on Friday.” is corrected in the key to “They're going to present their science project on Friday.”

Part D — Write Your Own Sentence gives the prompt “Write a sentence about school or science that uses one contraction. Make sure the apostrophe is in the right spot.” and prints a model answer in the key: “Fatima couldn't believe how quickly the science fair arrived.”

The language it drills

“Tomas couldn't find the right chapter in his textbook.” has one answer in the key: “couldn't”.

Notes for the grown-up

  • Students often write do'nt or did'nt, placing the apostrophe at the word boundary instead of where letters were removed.
  • Ask the student to say the two full words aloud, then cross out the removed letters and write the apostrophe in their place.
  • A student is ready to move on when they can expand any contraction to its two words and explain exactly which letters the apostrophe replaces.

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