Know your apostrophes!

I you think that’s a typo and it should have been spelt

apostrophe’s

…this is for you.

It pays to know how to use your apostrophes. I see them used poorly so often that I’m guessing an awful lot of people haven’t been taught how to use them properly. I’ve seen teachers using them incorrectly, so it’s no surprise. But the basic rules are not that hard.

If someone reading your writing thinks a little worse of your education because you use apostrophes poorly it may be no big deal. But it will definitely matter if the person reading your job application, or your English exam, knows better.

SO… here are some rules.

WHEN TO USE AN APOSTROPHE

1. Where you have lost some letters
   • you are = you’re
   • that is = that’s
   • fun fact: of the clock = o’clock
2. To show that one thing or person owns another thing or person – add apostrophe+s.
   • the car of Sam = Sam’s car
   • the wheels of the bus = the bus’s wheels
   • the husband of Mildred = Mildred’s husband
3. If a plural word (a word for more than one thing) ends in “s” you put the apostrophe after the “s” – not before – and no extra “s” please.
   • Where are the boys’ lunches? (Where are the lunches of the boys?)
   • Come to our kids’ concert! (Come to our concert for kids!)
   • the Smiths’ home (where the Smiths live)
   • the children’s playground (because children doesn’t end in “s” you add it after your apostrophe)
4. In a name (maybe because some letters are missing)
   • O’Donnell
   • St Margaret’s (the next word is understood e.g. St Margaret’s College or St Margaret’s Hospital)

WHEN NOT TO USE AN APOSTROPHE

Don’t make a word plural by adding apostrophe+s. Even if your word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, o or u).

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULES

Possessive pronouns don’t use an apostrophe. The main ones to be aware of are it/its and who/whose.

• its:
  • That boat has lost its sail.
    • compared to
  • It’s in the bag. (It is in the bag.)
  • Look at that dog. It’s chasing its tail. What’s the difference between it’s and its here?
• whose:
  • The man whose story was in the paper…
    • compared to
  • Who’s coming with me?
  • Who’s coming to see the man whose story was in the paper? What’s the difference between who’s and whose here?

• And yes, there do seem to be unusual exceptions where you can make a plural by adding apostrope+s.
  Grammarly gives these examples:
  • lower case letters (one t or two t’s)
  • “do” as in do’s and don’ts

IT’S NOT ALWAYS CLEARCUT

• After a name that ends in “s” you can just add the apostrophe without the “s”. But that’s not a hard and fast rule. there are different conventions or differences that depend on where you are.
  • Dallas’ population OR Dallas’s population

If you’re not sure check a dictionary or a relevant Style Guide.

QUICK QUIZ

1. What’s the difference between

the lady’s drinks

AND

the ladies’ drinks?

2. What’s wrong with the following sentence?

“We value our employee’s safety.”

(I saw this at a large multinational company. I suppose they care about all their employees, not just one! Then they should have said “employees’ safety”.)

Check out GRAMMARLY’s more detailed apostrophe rules.