Contraction Games Promote Spelling Skills

Calling all grammar teachers, reading specialists and other educators! This classroom contraction game is the perfect way to help them practice identifying and reading contractions. The cards feature a variety of common contractions that are used in daily life—including but not limited to, it’s, they’re, you’re, who’s etc.—and their corresponding full-sentence forms (including is, are, were etc.).

To play, students listen to the calling card which gives the full version of each contraction. Students must then cover the contraction version if it appears on their BINGO board. Through this activity, students will show increased understanding of contractions in the English language. The following grade levels require full mastery of contractions – 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade.

More Contraction Card Games for the Classroom

This resource is so versatile that you can utilize the calling cards for other card games. Here are some suggestions:

• Memory game – make some other matching cards with the contraction. Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a grid. Students take turns flipping two cards at at a time trying to find a match between a contraction and its expanded form.
• Contraction Go Fish – played like the traditional Go Fish, but students need to match the contractions with their expanded form.
• Contraction Snap – students play snap but with the contractions and their expanded form to match up.
• Contraction War – Divide the deck equally between two players. Each player simultaneously flips over a card from their stack. If one player flips over a contraction and the other flips over its matching expanded form, the player with the contraction wins both cards. If no match is made, the cards remain in the middle and the next round continues. The winner of the next match takes all the cards in the middle.

Download and Play Today!

Use the dropdown menu to choose between the editable Google Slide version of this resource or the easy to print PDF verison.

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 teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter Collaborator.

More Contraction Resources

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

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Introduction to Contractions Teaching Slides

Teach students about contractions with this engaging set of teaching slides.

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Contractions Cut and Paste Worksheet Pack

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

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Contractions Folding Cards

Practice making contractions using this set of foldable contraction cards.