Contractions — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Ive been to the zoo three times this summer with my family.
Corrected: I've been to the zoo three times this summer with my family.
In Grade 3, 'I've' is the contraction for 'I have' and needs an apostrophe between 'I' and 've'.
2. Fix the sentence:
Youv'e finished your book faster than I expected you would.
Corrected: You've finished your book faster than I expected you would.
Grade 3 contraction 'you've' places the apostrophe between 'you' and 've', replacing 'ha' from have.
3. Fix the sentence:
Weve never seen a real rainbow this close to our house before.
Corrected: We've never seen a real rainbow this close to our house before.
In Grade 3, 'we've' combines 'we' and 'have' and the apostrophe marks the missing 'ha' letters.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. I've already read every book in the Magic Tree House series twice.
Grade 3 contraction 'I've' stands for 'I have' and describes a past experience.
2. We've visited the aquarium many times, but this whale is new.
The Grade 3 contraction 'we've' joins 'we' and 'have' with an apostrophe before 've'.
3. You've seen that movie before, haven't you, at least two times?
In Grade 3 writing, 'you've' means 'you have' with the apostrophe replacing 'ha'.
4. They've already eaten lunch, so they don't need any sandwiches now.
Grade 3 contraction 'they've' combines 'they' and 'have' using an apostrophe before 've'.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. In Grade 3, the contraction 'I've' is short for 'I have'.
True False
The Grade 3 contraction 'I've' combines 'I' and 'have' with the apostrophe replacing the letters 'ha' in have.
2. In Grade 3 writing, 'theyve' without an apostrophe is the correct way to write 'they have'.
True False
The correct Grade 3 contraction is 'they've' with an apostrophe, not 'theyve' without one.
3. The contraction 'you've' is commonly used in Grade 3 sentences about past experiences.
True False
In Grade 3, 'you've' often appears when describing past experiences because 'have' signals the present perfect tense.