THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE The apostrophe has only a

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE The apostrophe has only a handful of uses, but these uses are very important. A misplaced apostrophe can be annoying — not to mention lonely. The apostrophe is used: 1. to create possessives 2. to show contractions 3. to create some plural forms © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE The apostrophe is used to create possessive forms for singular and plural nouns, especially nouns referring to people. the mayor’s car, my father’s moustache Pedrito’s sister, Joe Kennedy’s habits © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE When a noun already ends in “s, ” you can decide whether or not to use another “s” after the apostrophe. Charles’s car OR Charles’ car With multisyllabic words, don’t add another “s” after the apostrophe. Dumas’ second novel, Jesus’ birth, Odysseus’ ideas, Illinois’ legislature © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE To form the possessive of a plural noun, we pluralize first and then add the apostrophe. The Kennedys’ house The children’s playhouse The travelers’ expectations Notice that with an irregular plural, the apostrophe will come before the “s. ” © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE To form the possessive of an inanimate object, we’re usually better off using an “of phrase, ” but the apostrophe possessive is not impossible, especially with expressions of time and in personifications. The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd a year’s salary, my heart’s desire, your dollar’s worth, the paper’s conclusion © Capital Community College

Joint ownership • Where you place the apostrophe shows whether ownership is joint or individual • Tamara and Richard’s houses indicates joint ownership of the houses • Tamara’s and Richard’s houses indicates that the houses are owned separately. © Capital Community College

You try it • The lion’s and tigers’ cages • One lion and multiple tigers have separate cages • The lions and the tiger’s cages • Several lions and one tiger have the same cages • The lions’ and the tigers’ cages • Several lions and several tigers have different cages © Capital Community College

Forming possessives of indefinite pronouns and other unusual constructions • Use and apostrophe and an s with indefinite pronouns to show possession. Do not use an apostrophe with possessive for of personal pronouns. Personal pronouns are already possessive. – His, hers, yours, ours and theirs NEVER need apostrophes. They are already possessive. – You say, “someone’s” or “someone else’s” when making a plural possessive. © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE A contraction allows us to blend sounds by omitting letters from a verb construction. The apostrophe shows where something is left out. I am a student here = I’m a student here. I have been working on the railroad. = I’ve been working on the railroad. They could have been great together. = They could’ve been great together. © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE More contraction examples: Let us go. = Let’s go. Who is there? = Who’s there? It is Dierdre. = It’s Dierdre. REMINDER: It’s is a contraction for “it is”; the possessive of it = its (no apostrophe). © Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE The apostrophe is also used to form the plural of digits and letters. . . The word Mississippi has four s’s. She got three A’s and two B’s last semester. She dotted all her i’s very carefully. . and to indicate omission of a number in a date: summer of ’ 99; class of ’ 14 © Capital Community College