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Seminars &
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Using apostrophes correctly
“Here's how to use apostrophes”
“More
helpful hints on using apostrophes correctly”
“When
to use -- and not to use -- apostrophes”
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Seminars &
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Here's how to use apostrophes
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
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Here are
eight simple guidelines for
using the apostrophe correctly:
1. With
contractions and dates, use an apostrophe to indicate the omission of letters or
numbers: She didn’t, I’ll, and the class of ’67.
2.
Although
the apostrophe is no longer required to form the plural of letters and numbers
such as two Ph.D.s and the 1980s, use it when needed for clarity:
four I’s and p’s and q’s.
3.
With
a singular noun, form the possessive by adding an apostrophe and an s.
Although style guides differ, a simple approach is to follow this rule no matter
what the final letter: Baez’s concert, Wilbers’s advice, and
my boss’s writing, not Baez’ concert, Wilbers’ advice, and
my boss’ writing.
4. With
a plural noun ending in s, form the possessive by adding only an
apostrophe: three employees’ paychecks and two bosses’
recommendations, not three employee’s paychecks and two bosses’s
recommendations. Here’s a rule of thumb: First make the noun plural or
singular; then add the apostrophe.
5. Do
not use an apostrophe simply to make a noun plural: two mistakes, not
two mistake’s.
6.
To
indicate joint possession in a series, make only the last word possessive:
Sally and John’s report; to indicate individual possession, make each word
possessive: Sally’s and John’s reports.
7. Although
inanimate objects may take the possessive form – the company’s failure –
a construction using of is sometimes preferable: the failure of the
company.
8.
In
descriptive phrases, no apostrophe is needed: sales record and news
release, not sale’s record and news’ release. In some cases,
however, it is difficult to distinguish a descriptive phrase from a possessive
phrase, as in teachers manual and driver’s license.
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Top
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Seminars &
email courses
More helpful hints on using apostrophes
correctly
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
|
Here are 10 simple rules for
using apostrophes correctly:
1.
With a singular noun, form the possessive by adding an apostrophe and an s:
not the writers first draft, but the writer’s first draft.
2.
With a plural noun ending in s, form the possessive by adding only the
apostrophe: not three employees’s paychecks and two bosses’s
recommendations, but three employees’ paychecks and two bosses’
recommendations.
Here’s a helpful tip: To place
the s and the apostrophe in the correct order, first make the noun plural
or singular; then add the apostrophe.
3.
With compound nouns, add ’s or s’ to the last element: not my
mother’s-in-law cooking, but my mother-in-law’s cooking.
4.
To indicate joint possession, make only the last word in a series possessive:
Sally and John’s report. To indicate individual possession, make each word
in a series possessive: Sally’s and John’s reports.
5.
Although there are exceptions to this rule, indicate possession by inanimate
objects with an of phrase: not our initiative’s success, but
the success of our initiative.
6.
With contractions and dates, use an apostrophe to indicate the omission of
letters or numbers: I’ll, didn’t, and the class of ’67.
7.
Although the apostrophe is no longer required to form the plural of letters and
numbers such as 147 MBAs and the 1990s, use it when needed for
clarity:
three I’s and p’s and q’s.
8.
Do
not use an apostrophe simply to make a noun plural: not two mistake’s,
but two mistakes.
9.
Do
not use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: not it’s, her’s,
their’s and who’s, but its, hers, theirs, and whose.
10.
Do
not use an apostrophe in descriptive phrases: not sale’s record
and news’ release, but sales record and news release. (In
some cases, it is difficult to distinguish a descriptive phrase from a
possessive phrase, as in teachers manual and driver’s license.)
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Seminars &
email courses
When to use -- and not to use -- apostrophes
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
|
Use
apostrophes
1. To indicate
the omission of letters in contractions, as in she didn’t and
they don’t.
2. To indicate the
omission of numbers in dates, as in class of ’97. Note: Be careful
not to use a single open quotation mark (‘97) in place of an
apostrophe, as in (’97).
3. To indicate
possession by singular nouns – add an apostrophe and an
s.
4. To indicate
possession by plural nouns ending in s – add only an apostrophe,
as in three employees’ paychecks and two
bosses’ recommendations.
5. To indicate
joint possession – make only the last word in the series possessive, as in
Sally and John’s report.
6. To indicate
individual possession – make each word in the series possessive, as in
Sally’s and John’s reports.
7. To make
compound nouns possessive – add ’s or s’ to the last
element, as in my mother-in-law’s cooking, not
my mother’s-in-law cooking.
Do not use
apostrophes
1. To form the plural
of letters and numbers, such as two Ph.D.s and the 1980s,
except when needed for clarity, as in Be sure to dot your i’s and cross
your t’s and Mind your p’s and q’s.
2. To create the
plural form of nouns – should be two mistakes, not
two mistake’s.
3. To create
possessive pronouns – should be its, hers, theirs, and whose,
not it’s, her’s, their’s and who’s.
4. To create
descriptive phrases, as in sale’s record and news’ release –
should be sales record and news release. Note, however, that
it is sometimes difficult to distinguish a descriptive phrase from a
possessive phrase, as in teachers manual and driver’s license. |
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