Apostrophes Guided Notes Mr. Watts

1. APOSTROPHES show where LETTERS have been deleted from a word, or APOSTROPHES show POSSESSION or OWNERSHIP.

2. Use an APOSTROPHE in a CONTRACTION to show where LETTERS have been DELETED. 3. EXAMPLES: (Contractions) can + not = CAN’T do + not = DON’T had + not = HADN’T would + not = WOULDN’T should + not = SHOULDN’T did + not = DIDN’T

4. Nouns can be singular or plural. A SINGULAR noun refers to only ONE person, place, thing, or idea. A PLURAL noun refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

5. EXAMPLES: (SINGULAR)(PLURAL) PeoplePEOPLE LionLIONS FootFEET ChildCHILDREN ManMEN LeafLEAVES BookBOOKS BoxBOXES

6. Use an apostrophe to make NOUNS show POSSESSION or OWNERSHIP. 7. To make a SINGULAR noun possessive, add an APOSTROPHE and an “S”. NOTE: The APOSTROPHE always goes BEFORE the “s.”

8. EXAMPLES: (SINGULAR)(SINGULAR POSSESSIVE) PeoplePEOPLE’S vote LionLION’S tail FootFOOT’S big toe ChildCHILD’S toy ManMAN’S hand LeafLEAF’S color BookBOOK’S cover BoxBOX’S lid.

9. To make a PLURAL noun possessive, add an APOSTROPHE and an “S,” UNLESS the plural noun already ends in an “S.” In that case, PLACE THE APOSTROPHE after the “S.”

10. EXAMPLES: (SINGULAR)(PLURAL) (PLURAL POSSESSIVE) PeoplePEOPLE PEOPLE’S votes LionLIONS LIONS’ tails FootFEET FEET’S big toes ChildCHILDREN CHILDREN’S toys ManMEN MEN’S hands LeafLEAVES LEAVES’ colors BookBOOKS BOOKS’ covers BoxBOXES BOXES’ lids

11. The same rules apply for HYPHENATED nouns. 12. EXAMPLES: (SING POS)(PLU)(PLU POS) FATHER-IN-LAW’SFATHERS-IN-LAWFATHERS-IN-LAW’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’SEDITORS-IN-CHIEFEDITORS-IN-CHIEF’S NOTARY-PUBLIC’SNOTARIES-PUBLICNOTARIES-PUBLIC’S

13. When making a NAME possessive, add an APOSTROPHE and an “S,” unless the name already ends in an “S.” Then, simply add an APOSTROPHE. 14. EXAMPLES:(POSSESSIVE) STEPHEN’SCHARLES’ RAY’SJESUS’ BESSIE’SWILLIAMS’

15. If a COMPOUND noun shows possession, only use an APOSTROPHE with the LAST noun. 16. EXAMPLES: (POSSESSIVE) Mom and DAD’S cat Julia and XAVIER’S house Hugo and SHAYLA’S school

Easy, wasn’t it?