Apostrophe abuse

[John Wren]

here's something for the lovers of the apostrophe. i submitted a question to our the Grammar Guru who appears in our fortnightly newsletter at work .... long live the apostrophe.

Dear Grammar Guru

I was hoping once and for all you could clear up the appropriate use of an apostrophe. I have often seen it being misused and abused, especially when people use it to describe the plural form.

It's not that hard. Please save the apostrophe. If it was a living thing we would be raising funds for its welfare.


Reply:

We've also received heartfelt letters from Mark and Ross on this subject. Apostrophes are used to show two things:

* possession (who owns it)
* contraction (when letters have been left out).

To show possession, the apostrophe goes straight after the name of the owner or owners.

* If the word is singular, add 's.

Your client's tax return

* If the word is plural and doesn't have an "s", add 's.

Children's toys

With names or words that end in "s", you'll usually add another. As a general rule, if you'd pronounce the extra "s" in speech, show it in writing.

The boss's office

* If the word is plural and already ends in "s", don't add another.

Authors' books

This also applies to plural units of measure.

Four weeks' annual leave

* The possessive pronouns (his, hers, theirs, ours, yours) already have possession "built in" and so never have apostrophes. The exception is "one's".

Contractions

Use an apostrophe if you've left out a letter or a syllable eg didn't from did not, can't from cannot; you're from you are and they're from they are.

Its or it's?

Possessive its (to show ownership) doesn't have an apostrophe, like other personal pronouns.

The horse escaped from its paddock.

It's as a contraction of it is or it has needs an apostrophe

It's a long way to Tipperary

Read the sentence, saying "it is" instead. If that makes sense, you can put in the apostrophe.

Plurals

Don't use apostrophes to make a word plural eg potato's, orange's .

Hope that helps

[HAL]

Try calling 911.

[The Prototype]

[David]

I feel pedantic if I say anything about it, but it always annoys me for some reason when people incorrectly use apostrophe's in plural's

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

God Bless the Grammar Guru lol

Where can I get one Jock?

[The Prototype]

I kidnapped a typo monkey named MOJOE he helps me with my typing and he has been taking notes for my life story....one day.

He works cheap too, one banana a day.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Does he help you with the lame ass jokes too, Proto?

Actually, come to think of it, can I borrow him for a few days?

[The Prototype]

He's the reason for them all

[HAL]

Quite honestly, I wouldn't worry myself about that.

[nomadjack]

Thought you already had borrowed him Franki

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

hehe, touche