NCERT Solutions for Class 5th English Chapter 6 A. Write the contractions for the following words — Let us Learn
Book page 68–69 Updated on2026-09-19
Q1.
Short forms (or contractions) are when two words are combined and some letters are left out. An apostrophe (’) takes the place of the missing letters. For example: aren’t = are not, wouldn’t = would not.
Answer
A contraction is two words squeezed into one, with an apostrophe standing in for the letters we dropped.
Do it in three easy steps:
Step 1. Write the two words side by side: are not.
Step 2. Push them together and throw away one or two letters. Here we throw away the o of not: are n_t.
Step 3. Put an apostrophe (’) exactly where the missing letter was: aren’t.
The book’s two examples work in the same way:
Two words
Letter thrown away
Short form
are not
o
aren’t
would not
o
wouldn’t
Why we use short forms: They are how we really speak. Nobody says “I am not going” at home; we say “I’m not going.” Short forms make writing sound friendly and natural. In a very formal letter or a school notice we still write the full words.
Careful: The apostrophe goes where the letter was taken out, not just anywhere. It is can’t, never ca’nt.
Q2.
Write the contraction for: 1. do not
Answer
do not = don’t
The o of not is thrown away, and the apostrophe takes its place.
do + not → do + n’t → don’t
Your own sentence: I don’t waste water when I brush my teeth.
Q3.
2. is not
Answer
is not = isn’t
Again the o of not goes away.
is + not → is + n’t → isn’t
Your own sentence: The tank isn’t full today.
Q4.
3. are not
Answer
are not = aren’t
This one is already given as an example in the book. The o of not is dropped.
are + not → aren’t
Your own sentence: The taps aren’t running because there is no water.
Q5.
4. cannot
Answer
cannot = can’t
This one is a little different, so look at it carefully. Cannot is written as one word, not two. To make the short form we throw away two letters — the n and the o in the middle.
cannot → can + ’t → can’t
Careful: One apostrophe does the work of both missing letters. We never write ca’n’t.
Your own sentence: I can’t reach the tap on my own.
Q6.
5. could not
Answer
could not = couldn’t
could + not → couldn’t
Notice that the word could does not change at all. Only not loses its o. The same thing happens in would not → wouldn’t and should not → shouldn’t.
Your own sentence: Suma couldn’t brush her teeth because there was no water.
Q7.
6. did not
Answer
did not = didn’t
did + not → didn’t
Your own sentence: We didn’t know that a water tank could be shaped like a tractor.
All six together: don’t · isn’t · aren’t · can’t · couldn’t · didn’t. In five of them we dropped just the o of not. Only can’t was different, because cannot is one word to start with.