Apostrophes - 2
Name ______________________
Five Steps in Using the Apostrophe Correctly
1. Look for possessive construction. Usually two nouns appear together. The first
noun shows ownership of, or a special relationship to, the second noun.
the girl['s] car
one month['s] time
the employees['] duties
2. Reverse the nouns using a prepositional phrase. Examine the ownership word.
Does it end in an "s" sound?
car of the girl (ownership word, girl, does not end in an "s" sound)
time of one month = (ownership word, month, does not
end in an "s" sound)
duties of employees (ownership word, employees, does end in an "s" sound)
3. If the ownership word does NOT end in an "s" sound, add an apostrophe and
"s."
car of the girl (ownership word does not end in an "s") = girl's car
time of one month (ownership word does not end in an "s") = one month's time
4. If the ownership word DOES end in an "s" sound, usually add only an
apostrophe.
duties of employees (ownership word ends in an "s") = employees' duties
rent of six months (ownership word ends in an "s") = six months' rent
5. If an extra syllable can be easily pronounced in the possessive form, add an
apostrophe and "s" to singular nouns. Relatively few words fall in this category.
station of the waitress = waitress's station (extra syllable can be pronounced)
desk of the boss = boss's desk (extra syllable can be pronounced)
Try your skill in making words possessive in the following. Write the correct form in the
space provided. Write C if the sentence is correct.
1. All of our customers e-mail addresses are now recorded.
_______________
2. Some of our customers prefer not to receive e-mail messages. _______________
3. In only ten months time, you can expect a profit.
_______________
4. The IRSs goal is to simplify tax form language.
_______________
5. All applicants must pay a years rent in advance.
_______________
6. Her brother-in-laws position was eliminated.
_______________
7. My boss office is exceedingly neat.
_______________
© Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey – May be duplicated for educational purposes only.
ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS AND PRODUCT
8. Harvard is Americas richest university
.
9. Our companys annual report is available online
_______________
.
10. Many artists paintings are displayed at the exhibit.
_______________
________________
11. The profits of all organizations are being affected by developing
technologies and worldwide competition.
________________
12. How far do you think five dollars worth of gasoline will take us? _________________
13. To validate a contract, both parties signatures are necessary. _________________
14. Security officers checked all fans packages at two checkpoints._________________
15. Martin and Rachels daughter is applying to law schools.
_________________
Key
1. customers' (e-mail addresses of our customers)
2. C (no apostrophe needed for the plural "customers")
3. ten months' time (time of ten months)
4. IRS's goal (goal of the IRS)
5. year's (rent of a year)
6. brother-in-law's (position of my brother-in-law)
7. boss's office (office of the boss; the ownership word ends in an "s" and an
extra "s" can be pronounced)
8. America's
9. company's (report of our company)
10. artists' (paintings of many artists)
11. C (Three words end in "s," but all are plural and do not show possession.)
12. dollars' (worth of five dollars)
13. parties' (signatures of both parties)
14. fans' (the words "officers", "packages," and "checkpoints" are plural, not possessive)
15. Rachel's daughter (make only the second ownership word possessive)
© Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey – May be duplicated for educational purposes only.
ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS AND PRODUCT