Dual Use

Worksheet Description

This worksheet is designed to educate students on the use of apostrophes for both contractions and possessives. It lists sentences and phrases that require the student to transform a phrase into either a contraction, such as changing “can not” into “can’t,” or a possessive form, like turning “belongs to Joe” into “Joe’s.” Each item is numbered and provides a blank line for the student to write the correct apostrophe usage. This dual-focus on contractions and possessives offers comprehensive practice in apostrophe placement.

The worksheet seeks to teach students the dual functions of apostrophes in the English language: creating contractions to shorten phrases and indicating possession. By completing this worksheet, students will learn to identify when to use an apostrophe to combine words into a contraction and when to signify ownership by a noun. The exercise emphasizes the difference between these two uses, helping students to avoid common mistakes. Mastery of these skills is crucial for effective written communication and understanding nuances in the English language.