Apostrophe Rules

   by: Professor Sharon Delmendo       Close Window    Print Page

  1. Possession Adjectives are special words in English that do not take an apostrophe. There are only seven of these words. Memorize them:
  2.        my your her his
           our their its

    Also note, words that sound the same but are not the same:

  3. An apostrophe is used to indicate a missing letter or letters.

  4. Examples (conjunctive - combination of two words):
         I can’t (can not) I won’t (will not)
         It’s (it is) I don’t (do not)

  5. An apostrophe is used to indicate possession.

  6. Examples:
          Fisher’s campus
          That purse is Sue’s
          Miller’s car repair shop
    If there is more than one entity in possession, the apostrophe comes after the s:
          Millers’ car repair shop
          Kauffmans’ bakery

  7. The conjunctive form takes precedence over the possessive form.
  8. If the apostrophe has been used to form a conjunctive, and the same (conjunctive word) is used to indicate possession, the apostrophe is removed to indicate possession (see rule 1 above).

    Examples:
          It’s time. (Meaning: It is time.)
          The cat is in its cage.

  9. Apostrophes are not used to indicate plurals.

  10. Examples:
          Wrong: Peach’s for sale.
          Right: Peaches for sale.

          Wrong: Business card’s designed per specification.
          Right: Business cards designed per specification.

          Wrong: 100’s of ways to get it done.
          Right: 100s of ways to get it done.

          Wrong: She has a large collection of CD’s.
          Right: She has a large collection of CDs.


Last Update: 02/22/2006 17:23:59 Top of Page