Apostrophe
In linguistics, an apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to indicate possession or to show that letters have been omitted in a contraction. It is also used in some languages to indicate a specific grammatical function, such as marking the genitive case in English. The apostrophe is a versatile and important element in written language.
5 Key excerpts on "Apostrophe"
eBook - ePubQuick & Easy English Punctuation
A Modern Punctuation and Style Handbook for Writers and Students
- Richard De A'Morelli(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Spectrum Ink Publishing(Publisher)
...Chapter 12 Apostrophes “The Apostrophe must be the most misunderstood and misused piece of punctuation in the language. This is made worse by the fact that most people simply fail to understand what it does.” Patrick Notchtree Apostrophe Catastrophe T he Apostrophe, which has the appearance of a closing single quotation mark, has various uses in the English language. It can form the possessive case for singular and plural nouns, noun phrases, and pronouns (the man’s book, Robert’s wife, the cars’ buyers). It can indicate omitted letters, as with contractions (don’t, can’t, wouldn’t); and it can form certain plural nouns, such as single letters and digits (I count three 4’s and six b’s on that page; Be sure to dot your i’s). This mark has other uses as well, which are detailed in this chapter. The first known use of the Apostrophe dates back to the late 1400s in France. It soon found its way into English literature, where it stood for a missing letter or a contraction. By the eighteenth century, rules for writing possessives and plurals were widely observed in Europe. Some writers dismiss Apostrophes as elementary and easy to figure out. But this mark is more versatile than meets the eye, and to master it, you need to learn more than two dozen rules and exceptions. Some of these rules are fairly complex and at the root of frequent confusion and writing errors. In some cases, a misplaced or incorrectly used Apostrophe can change the meaning of a sentence to something other than what the writer intended. The rules for possessive Apostrophes, and plural possessives in particular, confuse many writers. The fact that these rules vary from one style guide to another complicates matters. The guidelines and examples in this chapter rely on Chicago Style unless otherwise noted...
- David Waugh, Kate Allott, Eve English, Rosemary Waugh, Elizabeth Bulmer(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Learning Matters(Publisher)
...It is true that the Apostrophe, particularly for possession, could be abolished with little loss of meaning. The context is usually sufficient to indicate what is meant. There is great inconsistency in the use of the Apostrophe in British place names. Walk around any village, town or city and you will see evidence of this. You will see St Mary’s Place and St Marys Place, King’s Road and Kings Road. There is King’s Lynn in Norfolk but Kings Langley in Hertfordshire. When, in 2009, the city of Birmingham decided to lose the possessive Apostrophe from signs, St Paul’s Square became St Pauls Square. Supporters of the Apostrophe started painting the Apostrophe back on the signs at night. The use of Apostrophes in street names caused debate within Devon County Council and beyond (see www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-21795179 and www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-21835017). Next time you are out in and around your own locality, pay attention and see how the place names appear on signs. Key knowledge summary The Apostrophe is a punctuation mark that is used to show possession or form contractions. An Apostrophe should be used before an ‘s’ if a noun is singular (e.g. ‘the boy’s book’). If the noun is plural, then the Apostrophe should be added after the ‘s’ (e.g. ‘the girls’ game’). When two words are combined to make a contraction, letters are removed and should be replaced by an Apostrophe (e.g. ‘they are’ becomes ‘they’re’ and ‘he is’ becomes ‘he’s’). In the classroom Children need to know that Apostrophes are used to show possession and also for contraction. They will learn simple basic rules but also some of the rules that apply only in certain circumstances. As with many adults, children will use Apostrophes whenever there is an ‘s’ at the end of a word. Particularly problematic is the Apostrophe that indicates possession...
eBook - ePubReal Stories
The All-Inclusive Textbook for Developmental Writing and Reading
- Toni Ortner(Author)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Open Road Distribution(Publisher)
...The Apostrophe The main use for the Apostrophe is to show possession. See Forming Possessives of Nouns on page 103 if you need to review the rules. There is also a handful of special uses for the Apostrophe. Use an Apostrophe when expressing time. For example: A trip that takes one week is a week’s trip. A hike that takes one day is a day’s hike. Use an Apostrophe to show that numbers have been omitted. 1906 can be written as ’06. (Obviously, the reader must know the century to avoid confusion.) Use the Apostrophe to show that a letter or letters have been omitted in a contracted form of a word. cannot => can’t does not => doesn’t Of course, in formal writing, one usually avoids the use of contractions. Exercise 58—Use of the Apostrophe Insert Apostrophes as necessary in the following bolded words. 1. Were going to the beach next Sunday. 2. The great San Francisco earthquake and fire occurred in 06. 3. Janet told me that she wont be attending school next semester. 4. Jacks car was damaged badly in the accident. 5. Carla and Terrys home was recently painted. 6. I graduated from college in 41, just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. 7. Can you tell me where the womens room is located? 8. Im afraid that you have the wrong number. 9. The dockworkers strike has disrupted maritime shipping. 10. Sheila is going over to James house for dinner. Check your answers on page 220 The. Comma There are specific rules for the proper use of a comma. This section of Time-Savers will teach you these rules and give you practice exercises to ensure that you understand them. Rule 1—Comma Use Use a comma before the connecting word in a compound sentence. If necessary, review the section on compound sentences (page 145) for correct punctuation...
eBook - ePubEnglish Grammar and Teaching Strategies
Lifeline to Literacy
- Joy Pollock, Elisabeth Waller(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- David Fulton Publishers(Publisher)
...Apostrophes The Apostrophe is often omitted or misplaced because of uncertainty over its use. Some simple guides ensure its correct use. However, it is inadvisable to teach both contractions and possessives at the same time, or too soon after plurals. CONTRACTION An Apostrophe is used to denote that one or more letters have been omitted and the word shortened. Don’t – do n(o)t Where’s – where (i)s Six o’clock – six o(f the) clock We’ll – we (sha)ll, wi(ll) I’ve – I (ha)ve They’re – they (a)re He’s – he (i)s, (ha)s Who’s – who (i)s, (ha)s It’s meaning it is or it has should not be confused with the possessive pronoun its – It’s hurt its paw. POSSESSION If an object belongs to a single person or persons we add an ’s. As the letter s is also added to a noun to form a plural, the Apostrophe indicates ownership. Dan has a cat. It is Dan’s cat. Jenny keeps rabbits. They are Jenny’s rabbits. If the ownership is plural, write the plural word, then add an Apostrophe after the s. The dogs’ dinner — the dinner belonging to the dogs. OR, if the plural word does not end in s, add Apostrophe s. The children’s playground. The men’s club. If the ownership word already ends in s, like Charles, it is traditional to add the Apostrophe after the s : Charles’ home; James’ bike. However, one also sees Charles’s home. Much depends on the pronunciation, but either is acceptable. One’s is the only possessive pronoun to have an Apostrophe. One looks to one’s survival. One may work for one’s own benefit. One should see one’s dentist regularly....
eBook - ePubThe 25 Rules of Grammar
The Essential Guide to Good English
- Joseph Piercy(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Michael O'Mara(Publisher)
...Rule 16 How to Use Apostrophes Correctly The Rule: The Apostrophe has three uses: to form possessives of nouns, to show the omission of letters in contracted word forms and in rare instances to indicate plural forms of letters. The use of what is often referred to as ‘The Grocer’s Apostrophe’ is considered to be one of the great grammatical howlers. Signs outside high street shops regularly advertise ‘Apple’s Half Price’ or ‘Key’s Cut While U Wait’. A chain of coffee shops aptly named ‘Apostrophe’ were recently in the news for using the advertising motto: ‘Great taste on it’s way’. The reverse is also true in situations where Apostrophes have been left out: ‘This Weeks Special Offer’. I have a confession to make. As someone who had their post-graduate thesis returned from the external examiner on the grounds that it contained: ‘The worst case of Apostrophe blindness I have ever encountered’; I have some sympathy for the perpetrators of these mistakes. Over the years I’ve made a conscious effort to get to grips with the Apostrophe but still have to take care and double check. The rules governing the use of Apostrophes are actually quite straightforward so why do so many people struggle with them? The reason is confusing the two main uses of Apostrophes: the formation of possessives and indicating the omission of letters in contracted forms. 1. Apostrophes are used to show the possessive form of singular nouns and this is formed by adding ’s after the noun: David Beckham’s haircut. Philip Larkin’s poetry. Manchester United’s new manager. This also holds true if the singular noun ends in an ‘s’: Davy Jones’s haircut Ted Hughes’s poetry The confusion starts to creep in when using Apostrophes to show the possessive form of plural nouns...
