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APOSTROPHES

  • FUNCTION:

    • to show POSSESSION

    • to show OMISSION

    • to form PLURALS of LOWERCASE LETTERS

  • 1) Use an apostrophe to form the POSSESSIVES of NOUNS. That is, apostrophes indicate ownership.

    • Add apostrophe + s ('s)

      • to singular nouns

        • the student's books

        • James's classes

      • to plural nouns that do not end in (s)

        • the children's toys

        • the oxen's ploughs

        • men's shoes

      • to the last name in the case of "joint ownership"

        • Bob and Doug's comedy routine (they both own it)

        • Mary and Joseph's apartment  (they both share it)

      • to the last part of compound nouns

        • the mother-in-law's company

        • the man-o-war's crew

    • Add an apostrophe (')

      • to plural nouns that do end in (s)

        • five students' papers

        • three teachers' cars

  • 2) Use an apostrophe to signal an OMISSION.

    • add an apostrophe with abbreviated years

      • the '60s (the 1960s)

    • add an apostrophe with contractions

      • can't, shouldn't, isn't

      • he's, who's, I'll

    • *PLEASE NOTE*

      • in Formal Academic Writing, abbreviations and contractions are not used
  • 3) Use apostrophes to form the PLURALS of LOWERCASE LETTERS.
    • the only time to use apostrophes to form plurals is here
    • Add apostrophe + s ('s) to lower-case letters
      • His z's look like snakes.
      • There are four i's and four s's in "Mississippi."
      • Dot your i's and cross your t's.
      • Mind your p's and q's.
        • this is more for appearance -- the typing, as opposed to the grammar
  • 4) Do NOT use apostrophes with symbols, numbers, possessive pronouns. uppercase letters, or  abbreviations.
    • symbols -
      • Do not use &s in your essays.
    • numbers -
      • The 1920s were a time of great change in America.
    • possessive pronouns -
      • *this is a common error*
      • Possessive pronouns such as its, theirs, ours, and his are born possessive, so they do not require apostrophes.
      • Besides, hi's would look funny, and it's is the contraction "it is or has."
      • Also, some possessive pronouns do not have 's: 
        • my, mine, our, your, her, their
    • capital letters or abbreviations -
      • His Bs look like 8s.
      • CDs replaced LPs, and DVDs replaced VHS tapes.
  • 5) Do NOT use apostrophes to form PLURAL NOUNS.
    • *this is a common error*
      • these nouns are only plural, not possessive
      • books, cars, students, teachers