|
Apostrophes should be used for
1. contractions
- Example: She isn’t (is
not) here today.
2. possessive of nouns and indefinite pronouns (when something
is owned by someone)
- Example: John’s book
is on the shelf.
- Example: Everyone’s opinion
is important.
We often do not pronounce the possessive –s of a few singular
nouns ending in an –s, a -z, or an –x sound; names with
more than one –s (Moses); names that sound like plurals (Rivers,
Bridges); and nouns followed by a word beginning in an –s.
- Example: Moses’ mother
hid him in a basket.
- Example: Joan Rivers’
jokes are not that funny.
- Example: You are late again
for goodness’ sake!
Usage varies, and the final –s
isn’t wrong.
Until recently apostrophes were used to form the plurals of abbrevations
(MA’s), dates (1980’s) and words or
characters named as words, (if’s, and’s
and but’s). Most current texts do not recommend the
apostrophe in these cases.
He earned two MAs in the 1980s.
My phone number has three 3s [or 3s].
You used too many ands [or ands] in you speech.
Note: Underline or italicize a
word or a character named as a word, but do not underline or italicize
the added –s.
An apostrophe will always be placed either before or after an -s
at the end of a “noun owner.”
- Example: The dog’s collar
was too tight. (one dog)
- Example: The three dogs’
collars were too tight. (three dogs)
The “noun owner” will always be followed by what it
owns.
- Example: The dog’s collar
was too tight.
- Example: The three dogs’
collars were too tight.
To make nouns possessive, first, determine the owner. In these
examples, the owner is dog or dogs.
Next, if the “noun owner” is singular, place an apostrophe
and an s at the end of the noun.
If the “noun owner” is plural, place the apostrophe
at the end of the noun. If the plural noun ends in s, do
not add another s.
Some plural nouns do not end in s. To form the possessive
of plural nouns that do not end in s, add an apostrophe
and s at the end of the noun.
Examples:
- men----men’s (not mens’)
- children—children’s (not childrens’)
- mice---mice’s (not mices’)
Some pronouns form their possessive by adding an apostrophe and
an s at the end of the pronoun.
Examples:
- anybody---anybody’s
- everyone---everyone’s
- someone---someone’s
Personal pronouns do not add an apostrophe to form the possessive.
Examples:
- your (not your’s)
- hers (not her’s)
- ours (not our’s)
- its (not it’s)
Most of these personal pronouns do not cause problems, but some
writers incorrectly write it’s to show the possessive of it.
- Incorrect: The dog lost it’s
collar.
Note: It’s always means it is or it
has. Its is the possessive pronoun. The construction
its’ does not exist.
Be careful with compound nouns that are hyphenated. To make a compound
noun possessive, add an apostrophe or apostrophe and s
to the last word in the compound.
- Example: The possessive of brother-in-law is brother-in-law’s,
but the plural of brother-in-law is brothers-in-law.
(For those of you who are curious, the plural possessive is brothers-in-law’s.)
To show joint ownership by two people, add an apostrophe or apostrophe
and s to the second noun of the pair.
- Example: Bob left his mother
and father’s house to go to college.
If the two members of a noun pair possess a set of things individually,
add an apostrophe or apostrophe -s to each noun.
- Example: Bob’s and Bill’s
cars were stolen last week.
Apostrophes should not be used to form plurals (more than one).
- Incorrect: The girls’
giggled loudly.
- Correct: The girls giggled
loudly.
Apostrophes should not be used with verbs that end in s.
- Incorrect: He sing’s
in the choir.
- Correct: He sings in the choir.
- Incorrect: He go’s to
Methodist University.
- Correct: He goes to Methodist University.
Note: Perhaps the most controversial
and confusing use of apostrophe is with singular nouns that end
in an s, an x, or a z. There are two
options for forming the possessive if a singular noun ends in
these letters. One option is to add an apostrophe after the s.
The other option is to add apostrophe and s. Some guides
suggest that if a new syllable is formed in the pronunciation
of the possessive, writers should add an apostrophe plus s.
- Example: Phoenix’s
business district is thriving.
If the addition of an extra syllable would make a word ending
in an s difficult to pronounce, writers should add only
the apostrophe.
- Example: New Orleans’
restaurants are the best in the world.
When forming the possessive of any noun ending in an s,
always place the apostrophe at the end of the original word.
- Incorrect: Keat’s
odes are the most beautiful of all English poetry.
- Correct: Keats’s odes
are the most beautiful of all English poetry.
Usage varies widely, and standard texts offer many suggestions.
Remember, English is a living language, and one of its beauties
is that it is always changing.
Exercise
Please print this exercise, mark the correct answers, and check
your work against the version with answers.
Exercise on the Use of
the Apostrophe
Exercise on the
Use of the Apostrophe with Answers
|
