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Apostrophes. Definition. An apostrophe indicate ownership possession: Fred’s books, the government’s plans, a year’s pay (the books belonging to Fred, the plans of the government, the pay for a year). It can also signal omitted letters ( who’s, can’t). The apostrophe has three uses:
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Definition • An apostrophe indicate ownership possession: Fred’s books, the government’s plans, a year’s pay (the books belonging to Fred, the plans of the government, the pay for a year). • It can also signal omitted letters (who’s, can’t)
The apostrophe has three uses: 1- To form possessives of nouns • The boy’s hat • Three day’s journey
2- To show omission of letters • Don’t = do not • I’m = I am • He’ll = he will • Who’s = who is • Could’ve = could have • I’d = I would
3- Forming plurals of lowercase letters • Committee has two m’s, two t’s, and two e’s. • There are twelve no’s in the first paragraph.
To form the possessive of all the singular nouns, as well as plural nouns that do not end in –s, add an apostrophe plus –s to the noun
Plural nouns that end in –s take only an apostrophe to form the possessive
Common errors 1- Generally, do not use an apostrophe to form the plurals of nouns 2- Never use an apostrophe before an –s ending on a verb. Note that let’s is a contracted form for let us; the –s is not a verb ending 3- Do not write possessive pronouns ( hers, its, ours, yours, theirs) with an apostrophe.
Common errors 4- Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural of names: the Browns. 5- With inanimate objects and concepts, writers sometimes prefer to use of in place of an apostrophe: the back of the desk, the end of the garden, the cost of the service.
Done by : Amal Jacky