Uses of apostrophe with examples

Misuse and confusion are frequently caused by the innocuous apostrophe, a tiny punctuation mark shaped like a comma. But have no fear—this guide will help you confidently wield it by demystifying its various roles!

What is an apostrophe?

An apostrophe fundamentally denotes the removal of a letter or digit. However, its capabilities go far beyond simple abbreviations. It has two main functions:

• Forming contractions: This is where the apostrophe shines, shortening phrases by combining words and omitting sounds. Examples abound: “can’t” (cannot), “they’re” (they are), “didn’t” (did not), and “I’m” (I am).

• Showing possession: This is where things get tricky, as the apostrophe’s placement depends on the noun’s form.

  • Singular nouns: Add “‘s” to form the possessive. Examples: “the cat’s meow,” “Mary’s house,” “Charles’s bicycle.”
  • Plural nouns ending in “s”: Simply add an apostrophe after the “s.” Examples: “the students’ books,” “the teachers’ lounge,” “the birds’ nests.”
  • Plural nouns not ending in “s”: Add “‘s” to form the possessive. Examples: “the children’s toys,” “the men’s shirts,” “the women’s rights.”

Beyond the Basics:

The apostrophe’s magic extends to other realms:

• Forming plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols: “Mind your P’s and Q’s,” “There are five 5’s in your phone number.” “&’s are often overused.”
• Indicating omitted digits in dates or times: “The class of ’92,” “It’s 5 o’clock.”

Common Pitfalls:

• Contractions vs. possessives: Contractions never take an apostrophe before the “s.” “It’s raining” (contraction), not “It’s raining.” “The dog’s leash” (possessive), not “The dog’s leash.”
• Joint possession: When two or more possess something jointly, only the last name gets the apostrophe. “Sarah and Michael’s apartment,” not “Sarah’s and Michael’s apartment.”
• Possessive pronouns: They already show possession, so no apostrophe is needed. “Her book,” not “her’s book.”

Remember:

• When in doubt, consult a dictionary or grammar guide.
• Consistency is key. Choose a style guide and stick to it.
• Practice makes perfect! The more you use the apostrophe correctly, the more comfortable you’ll become.

With this freshly discovered information, you can use the punctuation with accuracy and lucidity, raising your composition from linguistically right to clean and proficient. So go forward, overcome those commas, and let the punctuation be your accentuation partner!