Unit 14: Master the
Apostrophe!
Apostrophes of Contraction & Possession
• Contraction: Shrinking two words into one!
• Possession: Showing who owns what!
YEAR 5 PUNCTUATION
Rule 1: Contraction (Shrinking Words Together!)
What is a Contraction?
Examples from Unit 14 Chart:
When two words join into a smaller word, letters are
missed out.
• We + are ➔ We're (a is missed out)
An apostrophe (') takes the place of the missing letters!
• I + have ➔ I've (ha is missed out)
• He + is ➔ He's (i is missed out)
• do + not ➔ don't (o is missed out)
• is + not ➔ isn't (o is missed out)
• cannot ➔ can't (no is missed out)
YEAR 5 PUNCTUATION
Common Contraction Spelling Families
The 'NOT' Family (-n't)
The 'IS / HAS' Family ('s)
Replaces 'o' in NOT
Replaces 'i' in is / 'ha' in has
The 'WILL' Family ('ll)
The 'HAVE' Family ('ve)
Replaces 'wi' in WILL
Replaces 'ha' in HAVE
• do + not ➔ don't
• is + not ➔ isn't
• are + not ➔ aren't
• could + not ➔ couldn't
• I + will ➔ I'll
• you + will ➔ you'll
• he + will ➔ he'll
• they + will ➔ they'll
• he + is ➔ he's
• she + is ➔ she's
• it + is ➔ it's
• who + is ➔ who's
• I + have ➔ I've
• we + have ➔ we've
• you + have ➔ you've
• they + have ➔ they've
YEAR 5 PUNCTUATION
Rule 2: Possession (Showing Who Owns What!)
1. Singular Nouns (1 Owner)
2. Plural Nouns Ending in 's'
Rule: Add 's after the noun!
Rule: Just add an apostrophe (') AFTER the s!
• the clown's shoes (1 clown)
• the dog's bone (1 dog)
• the teacher's desk (1 teacher)
• the girls' hats
(Hats belonging to MORE THAN ONE girl)
• the boys' coats
(Coats belonging to MORE THAN ONE boy)
• the dogs' leads
(Leads belonging to MULTIPLE dogs)
YEAR 5 PUNCTUATION
Special Rule: Plural Words NOT ending in 's'
Irregular Plurals (Children, Men, Women, Mice)
Some plural words do NOT end in 's' (e.g. children, men, women).
Rule: Treat them like singular words and ADD 's!
Type of Noun
Apostrophe Rule
Unit 14 Example
1 Owner (Singular)
Add 's
the clown's shoes
Multiple Owners (Ends in -s)
Add ' after the s
the girls' hats
Multiple Owners (No -s)
Add 's
the children's toys
YEAR 5 PUNCTUATION
Classroom Practice: Fill in the Apostrophes!
Can you fix these words with your teacher?
1. do + not ➔ _________
(Contraction)
2. they + have ➔ _________
(Contraction)
3. The hat belonging to ONE girl ➔ the _________ hat
(Singular Possession)
4. The hats belonging to THREE girls ➔ the _________ hats
(Plural Possession)
5. The toys belonging to the children ➔ the _________ toys
(Irregular Plural Possession)
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