Apostrophes of contracted forms

Apostrophes of contracted forms 

In English writing, the apostrophe is used when writing contractions and for demonstrating possession. This page focuses on using the apostrophe for contraction – when two words have been shortened, and one or more letters have been omitted. 

For example: 

they've is the contraction of they have 

In this example, they have has been contracted to make one word. The apostrophe demonstrates where letters have been omitted. 

When practising using apostrophes in contractions, it is important that children place the apostrophe in the correct position, i.e. exactly between the letters where the omission has occurred. For example, in the contraction, he'd (he would, or he had) the apostrophe falls between the 'e', and the 'd'. If the apostrophe is placed above the 'e' or the 'd', this would be incorrect usage of the apostrophe. It is also important that children are taught to join the letters, leading up to the apostrophe, but not the letters, either side of the apostrophe. The apostrophe has a space in its own right.