Apostrophes

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There are two main uses for apostrophes – 1) for possession and 2) for omission. Possession is quite easy – if you know the rule. When we write about someone (the possessor) possessing something, then this is shown by an apostrophe. The rule is: PUT THE APOSTROPHE AFTER THE POSSESSOR (AND ADD AN ’S’ IF THE SOUND REQUIRES IT). SO, One boy’s books The books of one boy Two boys’ books The books of more than one boy A woman’s rights The rights of an individual woman Women’s rights The rights of (all) women Dogs’ behaviour How dogs (in general) behave A dog’s behaviour How one particular dog behaves The USA’s voting record The history of how the USA voted The States’s record OR It depends on how you pronounce it The States’ record James’s bike OR It depends on how you pronounce it James’ bike Omission is also quite easy. If you leave letters out of words, then show you have left them out by putting an apostrophe instead. WARNING : in academic English try to avoid the use of contracted (shortened) words. Use the full forms where possible.

Examples: he is he’s is not isn’t will not won’t you are you’re etc, etc

PAY ATTENTION:

it’s = it is.

and

its = of it.

WARNING: plural nouns which are not possessors NEVER need apostrophes — even if they are abbreviations like GPs, or dates, like the 1960s.