APOSTROPHE

Study the following sentences:

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• It’s a book.
• I’ve just arrived.
• If you don’t go to the beach, you’ll have missed out one of life’s most interesting experience.

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The main uses of the apostrophe are as follows:

1. Use an apostrophe and -s from the possessive of a noun, singular or plural, that does not end in -s.

The man’s coat                             the women’s suits

2. Use an apostrophe alone to form the possessive of a plural noun ending in -s.

The girls’ clothes                          the Browns’ house

3. Use an apostrophe and -s or the apostrophe alone to form the possessive of singular nouns ending in -s. Use the apostrophe and -s only when you would pronounce the -s.

James’ hat or (if you would pronounce the s) James’s hat

4. Use an apostrophe to indicate that letters or figures have been omitted.

O’ clock (Short for of the clock)                         In the ‘90s (Short for 1990s)

5. Use an apostrophe with pronounce only when you are making a contraction.

it is = it’s              you are = you’re              she has = she’s

6. Use an apostrophe to indicate the plural of letters, figures, and words used as word.

Dot your i’s                    five 8’s                    and’s

Note that the letters, figures, and words are italicized, but the apostrophe and -s are not.