Apostrophe

Contractions

Create short-form or collapse phrases into short words for simple speaking (mostly) and writing. Examples:

• I will ➔ I'll
• She would ➔ She'd
• He is ➔ He's
• He will not ➔ He won't
• It is ➔ It's

Plural Indication (very rare)

In some scenarios, you'll use apostrophe to indicate plural existence for lowercase nouns but not creating one.

Cases

1. All the alphabets i / I:
   • all the lowercase i ➔ i's
   • all the capital I ➔ Is
2. Multiple capital abbreviated words don't have apostrophe:
   • all the CD (Compact Disc) ➔ CDs
   • all the DVD (Digital Video Disc) ➔DVDs
   • all the MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio) ➔ MP3s
3. Numbers like 60s, 70s. (Apostrophe is placing in front to avoid creating plural number confusion, like 60s' (many 60s?))
   • 1940 ~ 1950 ➔ '40s
   • 1950 ~ 1960 ➔ '50s
   • 1960 ~ 1970 ➔ '60s
   • 1970 ~ 1980 ➔ '70s
   • 1980 ~ 1990 ➔ '90s

Guidelines

1. Only apply to lowercase alphabets / nouns (i's)
2. Capital or UPPERCASE words do not have apostrophe.
3. If the conventional apostrophe application creates plural word confusion, add it to the front ('40s)

Examples

• You need to remember to always dot your i's.
• David's capital As look like tree.
• In the '40s, folks use woods to create fire.

Possessions

Using apostrophe to indicate an object/subject is owned by another object/subject. Example:

• The rabbit's carrot was delicious.
  • carrot is owned by the rabbit.

Exception

• If the owner is a pronouns (not a noun), there is no apostrophe.
  • Alexandar Hamilton's surfboard is cool. (with apostrophe)
  • His surfboard is cool. (no apostrophe)

Word ending with -s (always +'s)

There is a debate whether to append an extra s after the apostrophe for a singular owner word ending with -s.

Guideline

• Always add a s behind. (+'s)

Example

• Jess's hat is big.
• The bus's air-conditioning is broken.
• Texas's chili culture is marvelous.

Plural Possession

To indicate plurality in owners, you:

1. Pluralize the owner nouns
2. Append the apostrophe accordingly

Exception

1. Irregular mutated nouns follows singular form. (man's, men's, woman's women's, child's, children's)

Examples

• the dog's house (one dog, one house) ➔ the dogs' house (many dogs, one house)
• the dog's favorite park (one dog, one park) ➔ the dogs' favorite park (many dog, one park)
• the dog's favorite parks (one dog, many parks) ➔ the dogs' favorite parks (many dog, many parks)
• the man's toilet (one man, one toilet) ➔ the men's toilet (many men, one toilet)
• the man's toilets (one man, many toilets) ➔ the men's toilets (many men, many toilet)
• the Harper's house (one Harper member, one house) ➔ the Harpers' house (many Harper members, one house)
• the Burns's house (one Burns member, one house) ➔ the Burnses' house (many Burns members, one house)

Common Mistake: It's vs. Its

It's is for contraction; its is for possession.

Examples

• It is night now. ➔ It's night now.
• I like rib-eye stick because of its rich flavors.

Note

• Remember basic pronouns: his, hers, its.

Checklist for Grammar Reviews

1. Is the apostrophe used for contraction?
   1. Is the contraction making any sense / recognizable? (via known vocabulary)
2. Is the apostrophe used for plural indication?
   1. Is the owners word the lowercase alphabets / abbreviations?
      1. NO - no apostrophe
   2. After appending the apostrophe at the end, does it creates plural confusion instead of indicate?
      1. YES - append the apostrophe to the front ('40s)
3. Is the apostrophe used for possession?
   1. Is the owner singular or plural?
      1. Singular - append 's
         1. Does the owner word ends with s?
            1. YES - ensure appending 's not apostrophe alone.
      2. Plural - Is the plural word a mutated irregular nouns?
         1. YES - use 's
         2. NO - pluralize the word then add apostrophe only (')