<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An apostrophe<\/strong> is not only a punctuation mark but also a part of a word to demonstrate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n a.<\/strong> possession<\/p>\n\n\n\n b.<\/strong> contraction or omission<\/p>\n\n\n\n c.<\/strong> formation of certain plurals of lowercase letters<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apostrophe Rules for Possessive Forms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To determine if you need to make a possessive, reconstruct the phrase and turn it into a “of the…” phrase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is unnecessary<\/strong> to use an apostrophe if the noun after “of” is a building<\/strong>, an object<\/strong>, or a piece of furniture<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rules on adding an apostrophe to form possessives:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n a.<\/strong> add ‘s <\/strong>to words in singular form<\/strong> even if they <\/em>end in -s.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For plural proper nouns<\/strong> that are possessives<\/strong>, use only an apostrophe after the ‘s’<\/strong>. ” <\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n b.<\/strong> add ‘s<\/strong> to nouns in plural forms that do not end in -s:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n c. <\/strong>add only ‘ <\/strong>to the end of nouns in plural forms that end in -s<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n d.<\/strong> add ‘s<\/strong> to the end of compound words<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n e.<\/strong> add ‘s<\/strong> to the final noun<\/strong> to show joint ownership<\/strong> of an object:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Showing Omission of Letters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The omission of one or more letters (or numbers) in a word is called a contraction<\/strong>. An apostrophe is used in order to create this omission. Contractions are common in speaking and in informal writing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To create a contraction, you must place the apostrophe in the position of the omitted letters.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Forming Plurals of Lowercase Letters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use an apostrophe<\/strong> and an \u2013s<\/strong> to form the plural of all lowercase letters<\/strong> to make it appear typographically correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “five rs<\/strong>” vs. “five r’s<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apostrophes are not necessary<\/strong> in forming the plural of capitalized<\/strong> numbers <\/strong>and symbols<\/strong>. Capital letters<\/strong> do not usually<\/em> require an apostrophe in the plural. To avoid confusion in some cases, use an apostrophe before the –s <\/em>of the plural capitalized letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Without the apostrophe the plural form of the capitalized letter would form a different word<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apostrophe should not<\/strong> be used for personal pronouns<\/strong>, the relative pronoun<\/strong> who<\/em>, or for noun plurals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Possessive pronouns, as the word suggests, already indicates possession therefore the use of apostrophe would make it redundant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of possessive pronouns are; his<\/em>, her<\/em>, its<\/em>, my<\/em>, yours<\/em>, ours<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indefinite pronouns, on the other hand, can be made possessive. Examples of indefinite pronouns are; one<\/em>, anyone<\/em>, other<\/em>, no one<\/em>, and anybody<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember:<\/strong> the people’s voice = the voice of the people<\/td><\/tr> the pants’ seam = the seam of the pants<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n bed of the hospital = hospital bed<\/td><\/tr> lobby of the office = office lobby<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n the renter’s<\/strong> rights<\/td><\/tr> Travis’s<\/strong> luggage (Travis’ luggage is also acceptable.)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The Jeffersons\u2019 <\/strong>garden is always well-kept. (The Jeffersons are a family of four.)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n the men’s<\/strong> football league<\/td><\/tr> the grandchildren’s<\/strong> inheritance<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n the communities’<\/strong> rules<\/td><\/tr> six colleagues’<\/strong> proposals<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n my great-grandfather’s<\/strong> legacy<\/td><\/tr> her sister-in-law’s <\/strong>property<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Marta and Jose’s <\/strong>mortgage<\/td><\/tr> Alejandro and Ana’s<\/strong> trip<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n we + have<\/strong> = we’ve<\/strong> (you removed ‘ha’ and replaced it with ‘)<\/td><\/tr> should + have = should’ve (you removed ‘ha’ and replaced it with ‘)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> was + not<\/strong> = wasn’t<\/strong> (you removed ‘o’ and replaced it with ‘)<\/td><\/tr> ’80<\/strong> = 1980<\/strong> (you removed ’19’ and replaced it with ‘)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n How many p’s<\/strong> are there in Philadelphia?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n He’s got mostly A’s<\/strong> in his report card.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n many #s = many octothorpes<\/strong>
His social media feed is full of #s.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>the 1980s = the years in the decade from 1980 to 1989<\/strong>
The conservatism movement flourished in the 1980s.<\/strong>
The ’80s was a time of conservative ideology<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIncorrect<\/strong><\/td> Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> his’ ideas<\/strong><\/td> his ideas<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> one’s ideas<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> anybody’s ideas<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Incorrect<\/strong><\/td> Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Who’s car is in the driveway?<\/strong><\/td> Whose car is in the driveway?<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> The team completed it’s project.<\/strong><\/td> The team completed its project.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n