Contraction Matching Game for Classroom Fun!

Writing and grammar practice don’t have to be boring. It can be exciting, loud, and highly engaging. Our Contractions SLAP IT! Card game will have your learners engaged in a friendly competition to match contractions with their corresponding complete versions.

Students spread the SLAP cards out on the table or floor face-up to play. The MATCH cards are then placed to the side face down. Students draw a Match Card, read it aloud, and race to slap the matching contraction SLAP! Card. It’s a race against time and a true battle of the brains!

Students will show their ability to read, spell, and identify contractions through this activity.

Contraction Card Game Ideas

Contraction Memory Match

• Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a grid.
• Students take turns flipping two cards at a time, trying to find a contraction and its matching words.
• If a match is found, the student keeps the pair and takes another turn. If not, the cards are turned back over.
• The student with the most pairs at the end wins.

Contraction Go Fish

• Deal 5-7 cards to each player. The remaining cards form the draw pile.
• Players take turns asking each other for cards that match the contractions or words they have in hand (e.g., “Do you have ‘cannot’?”).
• If the asked player has the card, they must hand it over. If not, the asking player draws a card from the draw pile.
• When a player forms a pair (e.g., “cannot” and “can’t”), they place it on the table.
• The game continues until all pairs are made. The player with the most pairs wins.

Contraction War

• Divide the deck equally between two players.
• Each player flips over a card at the same time.
• If one player flips over a contraction and the other flips over its matching words, the player with the contraction wins both cards. If no match is found, the cards are placed in the middle.
• Continue playing until all cards have been played. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

Contraction Concentration

• Divide students into small groups and give each group a set of cards.
• Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a grid.
• Students take turns flipping two cards at a time, trying to find matches.
• If a match is found, the student keeps the pair and takes another turn. If not, the cards are turned back over.
• The student with the most pairs at the end wins.

Download and Play Today!

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the Colour or Blackline PDF versions of this resource.

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a Teach Starter Collaborator. 

More Contraction Resources for the Classroom

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities and resources that cut down on lesson planning time:  

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Contractions Cut and Paste Worksheet Pack

Cut up contractions and practise putting contractions together with this set of cut and paste worksheets.

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Contractions Practise Worksheets

Reinforce the concept of contractions with eight worksheets designed for primary learners.

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Free Contractions Student Reference Sheet

Help students remember the different contractions with this contraction student reference sheet.