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. USING APOSTROPHES. CONTRACTIONS AND POSSESSIVES: How to Hit the Target Every Time!. Why Bother?. We awoke to the smell of grandmothers cooking. We awoke to the smell of grandmother’s cooking. Singular Nouns Ending in -S!.
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USING APOSTROPHES CONTRACTIONS AND POSSESSIVES: How to Hit the Target Every Time!
Why Bother? We awoke to the smell of grandmothers cooking. We awoke to the smell of grandmother’s cooking.
Singular Nouns Ending in -S! • Even when a singular noun already ends in -s, you must still add an apostrophe and an -s to form the possessive. • The class’s test scores were high. • Oscar Lewis’s article was interesting, but I disagree with much of what he said.
Singular Possessive • Lincoln Universities mascot is the lion. • Lincoln University’s mascot is the lion. • My next clients appointment is at 1:00. • My next client’s appointment is at 1:00.
2b. Showing Possession • Plural Form the possessive of plural nouns, including plural names, by adding just an apostrophe. No additional -s is needed after the apostrophe, because the plural noun already ends in an -s. • The five dogs’ water dishes were all empty. • The Stengles’ car is a Subaru.
Plural Possessive • All three agencies directors are coming. • All three agencies’ directors are coming. • Those students excuses are unbelievable. • Those students’ excuses are unbelievable.
plain old plural Here’s the Common Mistake!! • Don’t make a word possessive when it really is just a plain old plural. The students’ did well. The students’ success was well deserved. X possessive
You don’t always need an apostrophe to show possession. Personal pronouns do NOT use apostrophes to show possession, only to make contractions. The dog wagged its tail. (“its” is a personal pronoun meaning “belonging to it”) It’s really happy today. (“it’s” is a contraction for “it is”) Another Tip!
Personal Pronouns Let’s practice! • Whose on first base? • Who’s on first base? • Their presentation was the best. • They’re presentation was the best.
Using Apostrophes • That’s all there is to know about apostrophes, so we have come to…
…the Lessons End …oops, I meant… THE LESSON’S END!