Apostrophe (')
It is a punctuation mark used to indicate possession, form contractions, or clarify plurals of
individual letters or numbers.
Uses of Apostrophe
1. Possession (Ownership):
-The apostrophe shows that something belongs to someone or something.
o Singular Possession: Add 's to a singular noun.
Example: The girl’s book → The book belongs to one girl.
o Plural Possession (ending in s): Add ' after the s.
Example: The teachers’ lounge → The lounge belongs to multiple teachers.
o Irregular Plural Possession (not ending in s): Add 's.
Example: The children’s toys → The toys belong to the children.
2. Contractions (Omission of Letters):
-Apostrophes are used to shorten two words by replacing missing letters.
o She’s happy → She is happy. (i in is is removed)
o I can’t go → I cannot go. (no in cannot is removed)
o We’ll arrive soon → We will arrive soon. (wi in will is removed)
3. Plural of Single Letters/Numbers (Clarity):
-Apostrophes help avoid confusion when making single letters or numbers plural.
Without an apostrophe, As could look like the word as.
o Mind your p’s and q’s. → Plural of p and q.
o She got all A’s in her exams. → Clarifies that A’s are grades.
o The 1990’s were iconic. → Avoids confusion, though 1990s is also correct.
4. Time/Duration:
-Apostrophes indicate time-related possessive expressions.
o A week’s vacation → Vacation lasting one week. (The vacation "belongs" to one
week)
o Two years’ experience → Experience gained over two years. (Experience "of"
two years)
5. Omission in Dialect or Informal Speech:
-In informal writing, apostrophes can replace letters to show how words are pronounced
in speech.
o I’m goin’ to the store. → I’m going to the store. (g is dropped in going)
o Don’t know what he’s talkin’ about. → Don’t know what he is talking about. (g is
dropped in talking)
-Apostrophes improve clarity and precision in writing, ensuring correct meaning and smoother
reading.
