The Mysteries of Apostrophes – Revealed!

• Possessives– Singular nouns: add ‘s

• Ross’s book, the witch’s malice

– But NOT possessive pronouns: hers, its, ours, yours, theirs

• It’s a wise dog that scratches its own fleas.

• Contractions– Do + not = don’t– Does + not = doesn’t

Strunk & White Rules of Usage

Rule #1: Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ‘s

Charles’s friend

Burns’s poem

The witch’s malice

No apostrophe in hers, its, theirs, yours, ours

It’s is a contraction for it is

Never, Ever…

• Never in plurals:– Six apples – not six apple’s– Several things – not several thing’s

• Never in verbs that are not contractions– She walks – not she walk’s– He says – not he say’s

• One point will be deducted from an essay grade for every misuse of an apostrophe

To Review

How to Use Apostrophes

Greengrocer's Apostrophe

DVDs, CDs and the 1990s

The Apostrophe Song

The Apostrophe Protection web site