When to use an Apostrophe
Goal
In this lesson we will:
• Cover the basic rules of apostrophe use
• Learn what the most
common mistakes are and
how to avoid them
What do you think?
Apostrophe errors are not a big problem; the
apostrophe is not an important punctuation
mark.
AGREE OR DISAGREE?
Apostrophes are Important!
• Apostrophes enrich the English language.
• Apostrophes tell the reader who owns what, singular
or plural, if a word has been contracted and so on.
• Use apostrophes correctly to communicate
clearly.
• Apostrophe misuse creates a negative view of
your writing.
Use Apostrophes to:
1. Replace missing letters.
(Cannot turned into can’t)
2. Demonstrate possession.
(Mary’s car)
Plurals
Don’t add an apostrophe to
make a plural word.
When you are about to use
an apostrophe; stop and ask
yourself if the word is plural.
If it is then DON’T add the
apostrophe.
PRACTISE: write a sentence
with s for plural and NO
APOSTROPHE- share with a
partner.
Random Apostrophe
Use is Rampant!
“Dog’s everywhere love chewing bones”
The word Dogs is plural so it needs the s, but does
everywhere belong to dogs? No, so drop the apostrophe.
“The dogs ate all the bone’s.”
The word bones is plural so it needs the s but there is
nothing that belongs to the bone so you don’t need the
apostrophe.
Think before you add an apostrophe!
Why is this incorrect?
Can you identify the incorrect use of
the apostrophe in this picture?
PRACTISE- can you write how this should be written correctly
Apostrophes for Ownership
Use an apostrophe to show
ownership.
*Mary’s hat
*Michael’s book
If there are multiple owners then the
apostrophe goes after the ‘s’
*The dogs’ bowls
*The boys’ books
Chang’s tricycle
This is Johns room.
How do I
know that this
room belongs
to John?
This is John’s room.
You need an apostrophe to
show possession. If you
only add an “s”, you are
making the word plural.
But what if the word is plural?
You do not need to add an extra “s” if
you have added an “s” to make the
word plural
• Let’s say that John shares his room with his
two brothers, Jake and Joe. If you were to
refer to their room, you might say: This is the
brothers’ room.
– You only need to add an apostrophe to show
possession in this case.
And if you wanted to list the brothers’
names, and then show possession?
• This is John, Jake, and Joe’s room.
You place the
apostrophe and
“s” at the end of
the list.
And what do you do if the word already ends in
“s”?
Simple-You still add the apostrophe and “s”.
E.g. This is Chris’s car.
Complicated- there are arguments about this!
If it’s plural and ends in “s” then put the
apostrophe on its own at the end
E.g- The actresses' handbags were lined up
outside the theatre
Let’s practice!
Add the apostrophe and “s” in the
appropriate place.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
I love Jen scarf!
That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy car.
The princess castle is beautiful!
I went to my mom room to get her hairbrush.
My sister favorite dessert is pie.
The girls love to play with their Barbie dolls.
The class opinions were used in the survey.
The bosses suits were brand new.
The bus steering wheel was wearing out.
The Jones dog bit the mailman.
The Smiths boat sank.
Did you get it right?
Let’s check your answers!
I love Jen’s scarf!
That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy’s car.
The princess’s castle is beautiful!
I went to my mom’s room to get her hairbrush.
My sister’s favorite dessert is pie.
The girls’ love to play with their Barbie dolls.
The class’s ideas were used in the planning.
The bosses’ suits were brand new.
The buses’ steering wheel were wearing out.
The Jones’s dog bit the mailman.
The Smiths’ boat sank.
So, you know how to show possession.
What else would you need the
apostrophe for?
Apostrophes for Abbreviation
When letters are missing
from a word, use an
apostrophe.
*There’s (there is) a lot of
rain today.
*I wouldn’t (would not) go
outside.
The apostrophe indicates that letters
are missing in contractions.
• A contractions is when you contract, or
combine, two words.
• This is a device that you might use in a
colloquial, or conversational form of writing.
Common Contractions
• not=n’t
– Eg. couldn’t=could not, can’t=cannot,
shouldn’t=should not
Common Contractions
• Is=’s
– Eg. There’s, he’s, etc…
• Are=’re
– Ex. They’re=they are, we’re=we are
• am=’m- used for I’m
And More Common Contractions
• Have= ’ve
– Eg. I’ve=I have, could’ve=could have (Do not say
could of!), etc…
• Had= ‘d
– Eg. He’d, they’d
• Would=‘d eg. I’d, he’d (same contraction!
Context tells us)
Other words that can be abbreviated
in contractions
•
•
•
•
Does
Will
Has
?
Combining contractions
• Sometimes you can have more than 1
contraction in 1 word!
• E.g- shouldn't've, they’d’ve
What others could you make?
They will always have “ ‘ve “
Apostrophes can also be use to
contract years
• 1990=‘90
• 2001=’01
And for slang abbreviationsWhat letters have been missed out heresingin’ ‘twas
Do you know any others?
Let’s Practice!
Create a contraction from the
following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cannot
Will not
Should have
Could not have
1990
I will
You are
They are
We will not
It is
Did you get it right?
Let’s (a contraction for let us) check
your answers!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Can’t
Won’t
Should’ve
Could’ve
‘90
I’ll
You’re
They’re
We won’t
It’s
Common Errors
• Plurals- add an s but no apostrophe if its plural
and nothing belongs to it
• Plurals that DO show belonging- add the
apostrophe AFTER the s
• Words that show belonging and end in s
anyway (Jess, bus)- add an ‘s
• its and it’s/ your and you’re/ their/they’re
Its and It’s
The ownership rule DOES NOT apply to
the word IT.
*The dog chewed its bone.
Use IT’S to show the abbreviation of “it
is” or “it has”.
*It’s (it is) a lovely day
*It’s (it has) been raining all
day
Oops! Can you spot the spelling and
apostrophe errors in this picture?
Apostrophe Errors
1. Has the apostrophe been used
correctly here?
2. What’s wrong with this picture?
Practice
Can you spot
the
mistakes?
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/apostrophes_1.asp
A large number of todays children do not know who Betty Crocker is. "Their a lot of people
who used to rely on her cookbooks," says my mother.
True! Back in the 1930s, Betty Crocker was a name everyone knew. However, Betty Crocker
actually came from an employees imagination. Marjorie Husted said in 1930, "Wheel make
her look like the average American homemaker."
Betty Crockers 101 Delicious Bisquick Creations was the name of one of her books. And a
television commercial asked, "Whose the person who's cookies we love?" Soon boxes of
Bettys cake, brownie and biscuit mixes appeared on the supermarkets shelves.
In 1946, Betty Crocker was voted the United States most popular woman. (Eleanor
Roosevelt was first.) Few people realized that she dint really exist. She was simple General
Mill's icon. As womens fashions changed, the company updated her picture. Her
appearance became more professional looking as women enter the business world. People
agreed with the commercial that told them, "Buy Betty Crocker. Its a quality you can trust."
In honor of this fictitious woman, a street was named after her. The street's name is Betty
Crocker Drive.
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/punc-apostrophes.html
In this session we have:
• Reviewed the fundamental rules of apostrophe
use
• Learned how to identify and correct apostrophe
misuses.
• Polished our grammar skills to become better
communicators.
• CREATE YOUR GOAL REFLECTION