The Mysteries of Apostrophes – Revealed!
• Possessives– Singular nouns: add ‘s
• Ross’s book, the witch’s malice
– But NOT possessive pronouns: hers, its, ours, yours, theirs
• It’s a wise dog that scratches its own fleas.
• Contractions– Do + not = don’t– Does + not = doesn’t
Strunk & White Rules of Usage
Rule #1: Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ‘s
Charles’s friend
Burns’s poem
The witch’s malice
No apostrophe in hers, its, theirs, yours, ours
It’s is a contraction for it is
Never, Ever…
• Never in plurals:– Six apples – not six apple’s– Several things – not several thing’s
• Never in verbs that are not contractions– She walks – not she walk’s– He says – not he say’s
• One point will be deducted from an essay grade for every misuse of an apostrophe
To Review
How to Use Apostrophes
Greengrocer's Apostrophe
DVDs, CDs and the 1990s
The Apostrophe Song
The Apostrophe Protection web site