How to use an Apostrophe
By Peter J. Francis, HGPublishing Editor
Apostrophes are used to show where a letter or letters have been left off a word. They are also used to indicate possession.
The apostrophe is used in contractions and often (but not always) to indicate the possessive case.
1. Contractions use apostrophes
The apostrophe is used to indicate where some letters or portions of words have been left out especially when two words are joined. Note: the apostrophe represents the missing letters, not the missing space.
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Grammatical use of it's or its (or its') |
It's: Meaning: it is Example: It's a boy! Its: Meaning possessive case of it Example: It went to its home. Common Error: Using "it's" for possession: This is an exception to the rule for use of apostrophes. It's a very common error.
Note: Its' is NEVER used. I saw a recent comment on a blog where the writer claimed that some English speaking countries used its'. He didn't state whether or not this was supposed to represent the pronoun its, but one would have to assume that it was, since it doesn't make sense, in terms of how we use apostrophes, to assume it meant "it is." (Nor did he specify which English speaking countries he was referring to, so we could check out this unusual assertion.) But using logic, we can see that this must still be false. Pronouns never use apostrophes. We never write her's or their's. (Acutally some of us do, but they're wrong!) By this logic, its' is also wrong. Additionally, we put the apostrophe after the s only when it's a plural. So on another level its' must be wrong because even the worst English speaker knows that "it" is a singular concept. |
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He's |
Meaning: he is (used for 'he has' informally, not usually appropriate for formal writing) He's learning English online. He's learned English online. (informal) |
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n't Can't, Don't, Won't, Isn't, couldn't, wouldn't,shouldn't |
Note: all the words joined with 'not' end in "n't ". The apostrophe represents the elimination of the "o" and we don't need anything to represent the elimination of the space between the words. I can't buy a computer today. |
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Their |
refers to something which belongs to them Example: We went in their car to the college. |
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Theirs |
refers to something which belongs to them Example: that car is theirs Note: No apostrophe for the personal pronouns |
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There's |
Meaning: There is Example: There's the bus! Common Error: Mistaking there's and theirs |
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They're |
Meaning: they are Example: They're over there in their car. Common Error: Mistaking they're, there and their. See example for correct usage of all three. |
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Who's |
Meaning: Who is Common Error: Whose, which refers to possession Example: Who's there? The boy whose parents died. |
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Your, not you're |
When something belongs to you Example: It's your car. |
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Yours, not your's |
When something belongs to you Example: Take it, it's yours Note: personal prounoun never take an apostrophe. |
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You're |
Meaning: you are Example: You're going to love this. Common Error: Using "you're" when you should use "your" for the second person possessive. Remember, the apostrophe reminds you that there's something left out. |
2. Possessive use of apostrophes
An apostrophe is used to indicate the possessive case.
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An apostrophe before the s is used to indicate possessive case |
Frank's dog. |
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An apostrophe is used after the s if the word is plural |
If Frank has two dogs and they share some bones then: It's Frank's dogs' bones. |
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An apostrophe is used after the s when the noun ends in s and the addition of another s is awkward. (This is a judgment call and can go either way, depending on the writer.) |
Example: The Smith's house is beside the Jones' house
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