English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Contractions with "not"
Contractions with "not"
What you'll learn
- Identify at least 8 out of 10 errors in sentences involving indefinite pronoun-verb agreement in a provided text with 90% accuracy.
- Correctly rewrite 7 out of 10 sentences containing errors in indefinite pronoun-verb agreement, ensuring grammatical accuracy and clarity.
- Explain the grammatical rules governing indefinite pronoun-verb agreement, providing at least 3 distinct examples of correct usage in a written response.
- Apply knowledge of indefinite pronoun-verb agreement by composing 5 original sentences, each utilizing a different indefinite pronoun correctly paired with its corresponding verb.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define what a contraction is and identify the role of the apostrophe.
Identify the two words that form a negative contraction (a verb and the word "not").
Correctly form a contraction from a given verb and the word "not".
Expand a negative contraction back into its two original words.
Use contractions with "not" correctly in their own sentences.
Identify and correctly use irregular contractions like "won't".
Do you want to make your writing sound more like a conversation with a friend? ✍️ Let's learn a shortcut that writers use all the time!
In this lesson, you will learn how to combine a verb with the word "not" to create a special kind of shortcut called a contraction. This skill helps make yo...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
ContractionA single, shortened word made by combining two words. An apostrophe is used to show where letters have been left out.The words "do" and "not" combine to make the contraction "don't".
ApostropheA punctuation mark (') that looks like a floating comma. In contractions, it takes the place of the missing letter or letters.In "isn't", the apostrophe takes the place of the letter 'o' from the word "not".
Negative ContractionA specific type of contraction that is formed by combining a verb with the word "not"."couldn't" is a negative contraction made from "could not".
VerbA word that shows an action (like run, jump) or a state of being (like is, are, was,...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Standard "n't" Rule
Verb + not = Verb + n't
For most verbs, you form the contraction by writing the verb, adding "n't", and placing an apostrophe where the 'o' in "not" used to be.
The Irregular "won't" Rule
will + not = won't
The contraction for "will not" is a special case. The word changes its spelling completely to "won't". You must memorize this one!
The "am not" Exception
am + not = am not (no standard contraction)
There is no common, formal contraction for "am not". While you might hear "ain't", it is not used in school writing. You can write "I'm not" instead.
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Challenging
A classmate says, "To make any negative contraction, you just add 'n't' to the verb." Why is this statement not always true?
A.Because some verbs are too long to add 'n't'.
B.Because the contraction for 'will not' is 'won't', which is an irregular form.
C.Because you can never use contractions in formal writing.
D.Because the apostrophe sometimes goes before the 'n'.
Challenging
The sentence "He should'nt have left his coat at school" contains an error. What is the best way to fix it?
A.Change should'nt to should not'nt.
B.Change should'nt to should't.
C.Change should'nt to shouldn't.
D.The sentence is already correct.
Challenging
Which sentence correctly uses an irregular contraction with 'not' to answer the question, "Will you be at the game tonight?"
A.No, I willn't be there.
B.No, I'm not be there.
C.No, I won't be there.
D.No, I would not be there.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Contractions with "not""?
Contractions with "not" is a Grade 4 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Contractions with "not"?
You'll be able to: Identify at least 8 out of 10 errors in sentences involving indefinite pronoun-verb agreement in a provided text with 90% accuracy; Correctly rewrite 7 out of 10 sentences containing errors in indefinite pronoun-verb agreement….
Is "Contractions with "not"" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with Contractions with "not"?
This lesson includes 27 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.