UNIT 3:
APOSTROPHES
ENG II B
RCSHS
KAY M. HEDRICK
INDEPENDENT WORK
 Pick up the handout from the bookcase at the front
of the room.
 Define the following four words in the appropriate
location:
 Shell
 She’ll
 Shed
 She’d
APOSTROPHES
Possessive Case
 The possessive of a noun or pronoun shows ownership or
relationship. The nouns and pronouns in boldfaced type in
the following sentences are in the possessive case.
OWNERSHIP
She is a teacher in Maria’s school.
Can I count on your vote?
RELATIONSHIP
Anne’s friend uses a wheelchair.
You need a good night’s sleep
APOSTROPHES
RULE 1:
To form the POSSESSIVE case of a SINGULAR noun, add
an APOSTROPHE and an S.
Exception:
A proper noun ending in s may add only an apostrophe
if the name consists of two or more syllables or if the
addition of the ‘s would make the name awkward to
pronounce.
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
Pick up the handout from the bookcase in the front of
the room.
 Copy the rule below onto the handout. Read the
examples AND the accompanying note.
 Complete Exercise 2.
RULE 2
To form the POSSESSIVE case of a PLURAL noun ending
in S, add ONLY the APOSTROPHE.
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
Do NOT use an apostrophe to
form the plural of a noun.
 Remember that the apostrophe shows ownership or relationship;
because of this it is nearly always followed by a noun.
INCORRECT
CORRECT
CORRECT
Two players’ left their gym suits in the locker
room.
Two players left their gym suits in the locker
room. (plural, not possessive)
Two players’ gym suits were left in the locker
room. (The apostrophe shows that the gym
suits belong to the two players.
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
RULE 3:
Posessive Personal Pronouns do NOT require an apostrophe.
The possessive form of who is whose, not who’s (meaning “who is”).
Similarly, do not write it’s (meaning “it is”) for its, or they’re (meaning
“they are”) for their.
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
 RULE 4
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS in the POSSESSIVE
case require an apostrophe and an S.
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
 RULE 5
Use an apostrophe to show where letters or
numbers have been omitted in a contraction.
A contraction is a shortened form of a word or figure (can’t
for cannot, ’81 for 1981) or of a group of words (she’ll for she
will, let’s for let us, o’clock for of the clock). Contractions are
used chiefly in conversation and in informal writing. The
apostrophes in contractions indicate where
letters have been left out.
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
 RULE 5
Use an apostrophe to show where letters or
numbers have been omitted in a contraction.
A contraction is a shortened form of a word or figure (can’t
for cannot, ’81 for 1981) or of a group of words (she’ll for she
will, let’s for let us, o’clock for of the clock). Contractions are
used chiefly in conversation and in informal writing. The
apostrophes in contractions indicate where
letters have been left out.
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
Formative #9
#
INDEPENDENT WORK
(Pick up the Handout, read, and complete.)
Rule 6. Use the apostrophe and s to form the plural
of letters, numbers, and signs, and of words referred
to as words.
#