INTRODUCTION
Apostrophes (') are used to add or take letters away from a word, number, or letter for a special purpose and to form the possessive case of nouns and indefinite pronouns. Apostrophes, then, are used for the following reasons:
- to show possession, such as Anne's book or somebody's coat
- to form contractions, such as don't or you're
- to mark omitted letters or numbers, such as '94 or Darlin' Jill
- to clarify meaning, such as five the's
THE RULES
1. Use an apostrophe to form the possessive case of a noun.
A. Make singular nouns possessive by adding an apostrophe and an s, even if the noun ends in s.
Bring me the cat's dish.
This is Bill's house.
Where is Chris's math book?
Mr. Jones's house burned down.
B. Most plural nouns already end in s. In these cases, place the apostrophe after the s. Do not add another s.
John and Sandy are the dogs' owners.
These are the soldiers' supplies.
C. Some plural nouns are irregular and do not end in s. Make these irregular plurals possessive by adding an apostrophe and an s.
The men's room is over there.
She has the children's lunches.
PRACTICE
More rules are on the next page, but if you would like to check your understanding now, click one of the links below.
Hand Outs
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