Apostrophe

Most of the time, tiny little things that we ignore in our daily lives turn out to be an essential part of our lives. Being honest, we all ignore apostrophes in our writing as we do to the tiny things in our lives. Yet apostrophe plays an essential role in English writing. 

Apostrophes can be confusing and difficult to remember. Even native English speakers find apostrophes perplexing. But you can come over this difficulty once you remember the rules. In this lesson, you will learn what apostrophe is? When and where to use it?

Apostrophe:

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (‘). Apostrophes are used to serve two essential functions: show the possession of something by someone and to show contraction. But the story doesn’t end here. There is much confusion in the rules of using apostrophes, which we will learn today.

Ways to Use Apostrophes

Apostrophes are essential in both to form contractions and show possession. As mentioned earlier, an apostrophe has two jobs: to decrease the length of words and make them less formal, or to create possessive. Apostrophes are as necessary as the word themselves. If you omit the apostrophe, the word will be meaningless and grammatically incorrect.

Contractions 

Contraction means a shortened form of a word that removes a few letters. But the question arises that what comes in place of those removed words? As we always need something to stick to the leakage or a hole; likewise, apostrophes fulfill this purpose. Apostrophe comes in the place of omitted words and forms a new word with the same meaning.

Contractions are said to be informal and unacceptable. Always ask your instructor before using contractions in a paper which will be graded.

Some example of contractions and using apostrophes in contraction is given below:

• He becomes he’s
• She is becomes she’s
• He will become he’ll
• I am becomes I’m
• Did not becomes didn’t
• Will not become won’t
• Does not become doesn’t
• You are becomes you’re
• Cannot becomes can’t
• He would become he’d
• Who is becomes who’s
• They have becomes they’ve
• Had not become hadn’t
• Have not become haven’t
• Has not become hasn’t
• It is become it’s

So you can see that contractions shorten the words, and the apostrophe is used. Many words have contracted form. Above are a few of them.

Possession

The second function of an apostrophe is to show possession.  The apostrophe in possession makes things easier. There are several rules about forming possessives; they vary a bit from each other depending upon what type of noun you are making a possessive. Here are the rules:

For singular noun and personal names

The possessive of a singular noun and single or personal name is formed by adding an s + apostrophe ( ‘), whether the singular noun or name ends in -s or not. It is even correct to put an -s at the end, if the noun ends at -s. but there is some exception for names of places. You don’t put an extra -s at the end instead, you need to put an apostrophe at the end.

Noun/name+s+’

Example: 

singular noun and names

• Zainab’s father is a professor instead of the father of Zainab is a professor.
• We met at henna’s party.
• Our today’s class was boring.
• Today’s weather is very cloudy.
• University’s gym is closed today due to students’ strike.
• The cat’s tail is fluffy.
• My boss’s right arm got fractured in an accident.
• Charles’s brother is sick.

Places and organization

• St Thomas’ hospital.

Plural noun that ends in -s or -es.

The possessive of a plural noun is formed by adding only an apostrophe at the end. It is not necessary to add s at the end of the possessive noun.

Example:

• My parents’ bedroom is more beautiful than mine.
• Girl’s school is very near to our home.
• My grandparent’s house is in London.
• Those girls’ dresses are designed by me.
• Cats’ milk is costly.
• The boys’  shoes are black and white.
• All the universities’ sports team are going Sri Lanka for basketball championship.

Plural noun ending at other than -s or -es.

Some irregular nouns do not end at -s or -es in their plural nouns. The possessive noun of such noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and -s at the end. 

Example:

• Men’s are generally more heightened than women.
• That women’s bag is beautiful.
• Those are my children’s toys.
• My children’s room is right next to mine.

Joint possession

Joint possession is need when a thing belongs to two or more than two people. In joint ownership, we only make the last name possessive.

Example:

• Meet Jessica and bob’s parents.
• Jenny and bob’s house is at the corner of the street.

When different things belong to different people, you have to make all of the names possessive.

Example: 

• Elenora’s and Jim’s houses are in different cities.
• Ali’s and Sara’s shops are in the middle of the town.

Confusions in apostrophes:

Its or it’s?

People often confuse themselves in ‘its’ and ‘it’s’ and commit mistakes while writing. Here is the difference between its and it’s:

Its: which is without an apostrophe shows possession.

The cat ate its kitten.

Each family has its traditions and customs.

It’s: its with an apostrophe is a contraction of it is, or it has.

• It’s cold outside.
• It’s my pet.

Lets and let’s?

Lets is the third verb form of let which means to allow and let’s is a contraction of let us.

• Let’s listen carefully.
• If dad lets us go for a movie, I will ask my friend to join us.

Conclusion:

Apostrophe rules are not as much complicated as it seems to be. It would be best if you remembered that all the possessive need an apostrophe and s at the end. If a noun already ends at, it only needs an apostrophe. If it is an irregular noun, it requires both apostrophe and -s at the end. For contractions, you only need to remember that in the absence of one thing, you have to replace another thing.

Exercise: Choose the correct option:

Which of the following sentence is correct?

1. Those are Bella’s shoes.
2. Those are Bellas shoes 
3. Those are Bellas’ shoes 
4. Those are Bella’ shoes.

Which of the following is correct possessive?

1. School library.
2. School’s library.
3. You’re shoes.
4. Lets go.

Choose the right contraction.

1. It isnt’ my bag.
2. It isnt my bag.
3. It isn’t my bag.
4. It is’nt my bag.

Which of the following sentence is correct? (two owners)

1. Alice’s and Tom’s house is away from mine.
2. Alice’s and Toms house is away from mine.
3. Alice and Tom’s house is away from mine.
4. Alice’s and Tom house is away from mine.

Choose the correct sentence:

1. Alis sister is a doctor.
2. Ali’ sister is a doctor.
3. Ali’s sister is a doctor.
4. B and C