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Apostrophes
Rule 1. Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed. Examples: don't, isn't You're right. She's a great teacher. Rule 2. Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession. Examples: one boy's hat one woman's hat one actress's hat one child's hat Ms. Chang's house NOTE: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second s added in possessive form, it is preferred. Mr. Jones's golf clubs Texas's weather Ms. Straus's daughter Jose Sanchez's artwork Dr. Hastings's appointment (name is Hastings) Mrs. Lees's books (name is Lees) Rule 3. Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied. Example: This was his father's, not his, jacket. Rule 4. To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe. Examples: two boys' hats two women's hats two actresses' hats two children's hats the Changs' house the Joneses' golf clubs the Strauses' daughter the Sanchezes' artwork the Hastingses' appointment the Leeses' books Rule 5. Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name. Examples: We visited the Sanchezes in Los Angeles. The Changs have two cats and a dog. Rule 6. With a singular compound noun, show possession with 's at the end of the word. Example: my mother-in-law's hat Rule 7. If the compound noun is plural, form the plural first and then use the apostrophe. Example: my two brothers-in-law's hats Rule 8. Use the apostrophe and s after the second name only if two people possess the same item. Examples: Cesar and Maribel's home is constructed of redwood. Cesar's and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year. Indicates separate ownership. Cesar and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year. Indicates joint ownership of more than one contract. Rule 9. Never use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours, yours, whose. They already show possession so they do not require an apostrophe. Examples: Correct: This book is hers, not yours. Incorrect: Sincerely your's. Rule 10. The only time an apostrophe is used for it's is when it is a contraction for it is or it has. Examples: It's a nice day. It's your right to refuse the invitation. It's been great getting to know you. Rule 11. The plurals for capital letters and numbers used as nouns are not formed with apostrophes. Examples: She consulted with three M.D.s. BUT She went to three M.D.s' offices. The apostrophe is needed here to show plural possessive. She learned her ABCs. the 1990s not the 1990's the '90s or the mid-'70s not the '90's or the mid-'70's She learned her times tables for 6s and 7s. Exception: Use apostrophes with capital letters and numbers when the meaning would be unclear otherwise. Examples: Please dot your i's. You don't mean is. Ted couldn't distinguish between his 6's and 0's. You need to use the apostrophe to indicate the plural of zero or it will look like the word Os. To be consistent within a sentence, you would also use the apostrophe to indicate the plural of 6's. Rule 12. Use the possessive case in front of a gerund (-ing word). Examples: Alex's skating was a joy to behold. This does not stop Joan's inspecting of our facilities next Thursday. Rule 13. If the gerund has a pronoun in front of it, use the possessive form of that pronoun. Examples: I appreciate your inviting me to dinner. I appreciated his working with me to resolve the conflict. Apostrophes Apostrophes have three uses in English: 1. They are used to indicate POSSESSION, whether literal or figurative. 2. They are used to indicate TIME and MEASUREMENT in some cases. 3. They are used to form CONTRACTIONS. POSSESSIVE APOSTROPHES show ownership (often not literal) of something and are used in conjunction with the letter s. For example, John's toy shows that John has a toy. You can perform a simple test to determine the location of a possessive apostrophe by rephrasing with have or has: My mother has a sweater becomes My mother's sweater (The apostrophe follows mother.) Joan has a Honda becomes Joan's Honda (The apostrophe follows the name Joan.) The Writing Lab has a coffee pot becomes The Writing Lab's coffee pot (The apostrophe follows Lab.) In the above examples, the possessive is made by adding an apostrophe plus an s to the word that possesses. However, if the word already ends in s, whether plural or not, it is acceptable to add an apostrophe only. The Kellers have a Honda becomes The Kellers' Honda (The apostrophe follows The Kellers.) James has a Walkman becomes James' Walkman (The apostrophe follows James.) This can also be written as James's to match pronunciation. The twins have kittens becomes The twins' kittens (The apostrophe follows The twins.) In the case of apostrophe quizzes, you will often be given a possessive with only the apostrophe missing, and you have to decide if it goes before or after the s . For example, a quiz problem might be set up so: James plans a party for the twins birthday every year. The word twins must be possessive since the birthday is theirs, so to determine where the apostrophe goes, rephrase using have : The twins have a birthday. Since twins in its non-possessive form ends in s, you need only add an apostrophe to the end of the word: the twins' birthday. If the problem read, James plans his mothers birthday party as well. rephrasing it would give you His mother has a birthday party. Because the word mother in its non-possessive form does not already have an s at the end, the apostrophe follows mother and precedes the s. TIME AND MEASURE APOSTROPHES indicate time value and measurement in certain uses. Again, the location of the apostrophe can be determined by rephrasing, this time using the word of . the society of today today's society the heat of the summer the summer's heat the worth of ten dollars ten dollars' worth CONTRACTION APOSTROPHES make two words into one for ease of conversation by replacing some letters in one or both of the words being combined. do not becomes don't I would becomes I'd would have becomes would've Make sure the apostrophe is placed where the letter(s) have been omitted and not between the two words. For example, in the contraction of does and not, the apostrophe replaces the o in not: doesn't. Note: The contraction of will and not is won't. Even though some letters are omitted from will, and an o is added, the apostrophe is placed only where the letter o is omitted from not. BE CAREFUL! Some words that are contractions sound exactly like words that are not. For example, the words it's (from it is or it has ) and its (the possessive form of it ), along with you're (from you are ) and your (the possessive form of you ) frequently cause problems. If it makes sense as two words, then it's probably the contraction you're dealing with. Finally, while contractions are usually words like we're, I'm, shouldn't, and so on, they're often made up of names, places, seasons and the like, as in the following sentence: Summer's over, and Dilbert's going back to where life's a bowl of oatmeal and Friday's the first day of the week. All the apostrophes in this example are used to make contractions of a noun and the verb is. This sort of contraction is considered to be informal, however, and should not be used in formal writing such as term papers. For further information on the use of apostrophes, consult any good English handbook. The Little, Brown Handbook, which is available for your perusal in the Writing Lab, has a good section on both possessives and contractions. Are you ready for the quiz? Write apostrophe 's into the gaps. Example: I met _______ sister yesterday. (Mandy) Answer: I met Mandy's sister yesterday. 1) This is _______ book. (Peter) 2) Let's go to the _______. (Smiths) 3) The _______ room is upstairs. (children) 4) _______ sister is twelve years old. (John) 5) _______ and _______ bags have blue stickers. (Susan - Steve) 6) _______ shoes are on the second floor. (men) 7) My _______ car was not expensive. (parents) 8) _______ CD player is new. (Charles) 9) This is the _______ bike. (boy) 10) These are the _______ pencils. (boys) 1) This is Peter's book. 2) Let's go to the Smiths'. 3) The children's room is upstairs. 4) John's sister is twelve years old. 5) Susan and Steve's bags have blue stickers. 6) Men's shoes are on the second floor. 7) My parents' car was not expensive. 8) Charles's CD player is new. 9) This is the boy's bike. 10) These are the boys' pencils. |