Types of Apostrophes and Their Uses

apostrophe
types of apostrophes and their uses

Have you ever wondered why you see an apostrophe in “don’t” but not in want? The apostrophe, a tiny symbol, can cause a lot of confusion. It’s often misused, leading to grammatical errors that can make your writing look sloppy. 

Ever found yourself scratching your head over the apostrophe? This tiny punctuation mark can be a real head-scratcher. Apostrophes often seem to follow their own rules.

What is an apostrophe?

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (’) used primarily to indicate possession or the omission of letters in contractions. 

For example, in “Sarah’s book,” the apostrophe shows that the book belongs to Sarah, while in “don’t,” it indicates the omission of the letter “o” in “do not.”

Let us know the usage of Apostrophe,

Usage of Apostrophe:

Two main usage of Apostrophe, 

  • To indicate possessions 
  • To indicate contractions
To Indicate Possession

1.Singular nouns:

 Add an apostrophe and an “s” to show ownership.

To show ownership for a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an ‘s.’ 

Example: “The dog’s bone” means the bone belongs to the dog.

2.Plural nouns ending in “s”:

For plural nouns that end in ‘s,’ just add an apostrophe to show ownership. 

Example: “The boys’ toys” means the toys belong to the boys.

The Joneses’ house 

Here, in the sentence above  the apostrophe in Joneses’ indicates that the house belongs to the Jones family.

The students’ books 

Here the apostrophe (‘) in students indicates that the books belong to the students.

The businesses’ profits

The apostrophe near the word businesses (‘) denotes to the profits earned by multiple businesses

Plural nouns not ending in “s”: 

Add an apostrophe and an “s” to show ownership.

With plural nouns that don’t end in ‘s,’ add an apostrophe and an ‘s’ to show ownership. 

Example: “The men’s shoes” means the shoes belong to the men.

NOTE: Always use an apostrophe to show ownership, not to make nouns plural.

For example, “cats” is the plural of “cat,” not “cat’s.”

Possessive Proper Nouns Ending in “s”

Add an apostrophe or apostrophe + “s” to show ownership.

Examples:

  • Charles’ (or Charles’s) book
  • The Jones’ (or Jones’s) house 
  • Chris’(or Chris’s) work 

Both options are correct. There is no strict rule about which one to use. Some people prefer one style over the other, while others may use both interchangeably.

Here are some more examples:

Singular nouns:

  • James’ car
  • Thomas’ house
  • Jess’ phone

Plural nouns:

  • The Joneses’ house
  • The Smiths’ car
  • The kids’ toys

Apostrophes can be used to indicate a specific time or amount. Here’s a breakdown:

Time

Years:Last year’s schedule” refers to the schedule from the previous year.

Decades: “The 1980s’ music” refers to music from the 1980s.

Other time periods:A day’s work,” “A week’s vacation”

Amounts or Measures

  • Money: “Your money’s worth” refers to the value of your money.
  • Weight or distance: “A pound’s weight,” “A mile’s distance”

Sum-up

  • Apostrophes are used to show ownership and form contractions.
  • For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession.
  • For plural nouns ending in “s,” add just an apostrophe.
  • For plural nouns not ending in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s.”
  • Proper nouns ending in “s” can use either an apostrophe or an apostrophe and an “s” for possession.
  • Apostrophes can also be used to indicate time or measure.
apostrophes

Conclusion

With its little number, the apostrophe is an essential part of English language. It’s used to create contractions and to denote possession. Knowing how to use it correctly will greatly enhance your writing.

Recall that apostrophes are more than simply symbols. Their use is governed by certain guidelines. Your work will be grammatically correct, succinct, and clear if you adhere to these rules.

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  • Use an apostrophe and an “s” after a singular noun to show ownership. For example, “John’s book” means the book belongs to John.
  • Use an apostrophe after a plural noun ending in “s” to show ownership. For example, “The boys’ toys” means the toys belong to the boys.
  • Use an apostrophe and an “s” after a plural noun not ending in “s” to show ownership. For example, “The men’s shoes” means the shoes belong to the men.

Use an apostrophe to replace missing letters in contractions. For example, “don’t” is a contraction for “do not.”

  • “Its” is a possessive pronoun that shows ownership. For example, “The cat lost its tail.”
  • “It’s” is a contraction for “it is.” For example, “It’s raining.”

No, you cannot use an apostrophe to make a noun plural. For example, the plural of “cat” is “cats,” not “cat’s.”

You can either add just an apostrophe or an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “Charles’ book” or “Charles’s book” both indicate that the book belongs to Charles.

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