APOSTROPHES: CONTRACTIONS
Apostrophes can be used to turn two words into one. Think of the apostrophe
as taking the place of the letters that are missed out:
do not don’t
did not didn’t
was not wasn’t
were not
could not
who is
where is
how is
we are
I have
we have
you have
they had
there had
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APOSTROPHES: POSSESSIVE
Apostrophes are also used to show that something belongs to somebody or
something.
For singular nouns it is shown by ’s :
Gemma’s bag
(The bag belonging to Gemma)
Miss Bloom’s classroom
(The classroom belonging to Miss Bloom)
The monkey’s nose
(The nose belonging to the monkey)
In the plural it is shown in two ways. a) & b)
a) If the plural already ends in s or es, the apostrophe comes after the word:
The boys’ football
(the football belonging to the boys)
The ladies’ bags
(The bags belonging to the ladies)
b) If the plural does not end in s, then we use ’s :
The children’s toys
(The toys belonging to the children)
The men’s toilet
(The toilet belonging to the men)
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APOSTROPHES
APOSTROPHES ARE NEVER USED FOR PLURALS WHICH ARE NOT
POSSESSIVE.
There are many pictures of animals in the children’s library.
These are normal plurals and The children are owning something
so therefore do not need (the library), and so this word does
apostrophes. need an apostrophe.
ALSO, APOSTROPHES ARE NEVER USED IN PRESENT TENSE VERBS
WHICH HAVE S ON THE END:
she wants he holds the cat jumps Becky needs the man laughs
None of these verbs need apostrophes
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FUN EXERCISES!!!
Read over the following sentences. Copy the second sentence on each
question into your exercise book, filling in the gap. Make sure you put the
apostrophe in the correct place!
1. The boy owns the computer. 6. The child had a problem.
It is the __________ computer. It was the ____________ problem
2. The cat is eating its food.
It is the _________ food. 7. The mother of Jenny had a new boyfriend.
It was _________ _________ new
3. The brothers run the nightclub. boyfriend.
It is the ____________
nightclub.
8. Mr Happy had a dinner party.
4. The old lady has a garden. It was ______________ dinner party.
It is the _____________
garden.
9. The ladies bought some wine.
It was the __________ wine.
5. The chimps had a tea party.
It was the ____________
tea party. 10. The men bought some beer.
It was the __________ beer.
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Now copy these sentences into your exercise book, putting apostrophes
in the right places:
1. Pass me the boys coats.
2. How is he going to get to his sisters wedding?
3. It is time to go to Suzys house.
4. What is your babys name?
5. What are your babies names?
6. Who is going to put these books back on the shelves?
7. The cat always jumps from one chair to the other.
8. Paul wants to go to Jessicas party.
9. I’m going to the teachers staffroom.
10. Natalie is Robbies girlfriend.
11. My little brother moans and cries all the time.
12. Are you coming to the twins birthday?
13. Liam is Rebeccas brothers best friend.
14. I think childrens films are much more fun than adults films.
15. My grannys houses windows got smashed last night.
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