• home
  • News
  • Resources
    • Databases
      • A Guide to Britannica Academic
    • Electronic Journals
    • Journals
    • Catalogue Search
    • JSTOR
      • JSTOR Guides
      • JSTOR Comic Guide
      • How to access JSTOR from home
      • How To Search JSTOR
      • Intro to JSTOR
    • SGS Links
  • HE
    • University of Gloucestershire (UoG) Resources
    • SGS Resources
    • HE Careers
  • Services
    • Borrowing
    • Induction
    • Interlibrary Loans
    • LRC Intro Video
    • Stationery List
    • Study Skills
    • Video: renewing items online
  • Locations
    • Bristol Zoo Gardens
    • Filton Avenue
    • Queen’s Road
    • Stroud Campus
    • WISE Campus
You are here: Home / Study Skills / Apostrophes

Apostrophes

September 8, 2015 by Ryan Gajda Leave a Comment

Apostrophes (‘)

The Apostrophe (‘) is used in English to show that a letter has been missed out of a word. because of changes over time in our language we are often unaware that an extra letter(s) was ever there. It is probably most helpful to see the apostrophe as being for two purposes:

1. to indicate possession

2. to show missing letters in a shortened form.

Possession

Use an apostrophe before the s where there is only one “owner”, as in:

  • My friend’s drink
  • Mark’s lunch
  • The pub’s menu

Use an apostrophe after the s where there is more than one “owner”, as in:

  • The two students’ work
  • The three girls’ lunches
  • The birds’ food supply

Use an apostrophe after the s if the word already ends in an s, as in:

  • James’ lunch

Use an apostrophe before the s where the “owner” word is already plural, as in:

  • The children’s lunches
  • The mice’s cheese

The exception to these rules is the word “its” where the word indicates something belonging to an object. There is no apostrophe in this case.

  • The door’s hinges were rusty.
  • Its hinges were rusty.

Shortened Form

Apostrophes are used in shortened forms, i.e., where two words are condensed into one:

It is raining / It’s raining.

I could not see / I couldn’t see.

I should not be here / I shouldn’t be here.

and the odd one:

I will not go / I won’t go.

In all of these examples the apostrophe represents the missing letter(s).

 

Now put apostrophes in the right places in the following sentences. Note: not all of the sentences need apostrophes.

The boys hair was wet (1 boy).

The boys party was ruined (more than 1 boy)

The girls werre good friends to each other.

The Womens Movement had brought about many changes.

I wasnt going to stand for that.

Its going to be hard work.

The cars engine wouldnt start: its battery was flat.

The charities work was productive.

The childs pocket money was stopped.

The childrens charity raised £1000.

We wont be going there again.

Filed Under: Study Skills, Writing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Use the box above to quickly search the LRC catalogue. Use the drop down menu to search for different types of items.

Featured Resource

inclusive Pride Flag background. Text reads "LGBTQ+ History Month 2021" in one corner a brown-skinned hand waves a pride flag, in the lower centre a book lies open with a rainbow coming out of the pages.

How to log into JSTOR from home

How to log into Wiley Online Library from home

Recent Posts

  • Pray tell – is it Shakespeare Week?
  • SGS LRC Bookflix – March 2021
  • EBSCO Education Research Complete
Copyright © 2021 · Designed & Developed by Ryan Gajda - SGS College
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. In order to comply with EU law we won't do this unless you click accept, and you can change your mind at any time.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

SAVE & ACCEPT