Apostrophes

Apostrophes with Possessives For singular nouns use ‘s the book’s author; the flower’s smell For singular noun that ends in s, the added s after the apostrophe is optional James’s car (or) James’ car For plural nouns ending in s, add only an apostrophe both teams’ colors; six days’ vacation

Apostrophes with Possessives For plural nouns not ending in s, use ‘s the children’s game; four men’s cars For the indefinite pronoun (pronouns ending in –body and –one), use ‘s no one’s fault; somebody’s hat For compound words, add ‘s to the last word brother-in-law’s house; everyone else’s water

Apostrophes with Possessives For joint ownership by two or more nouns, add ‘s after the last noun Mary and Tim’s house; bar and grill’s parking For individual ownership when two or more nouns are used, add ‘s after each Mary’s and Tim’s houses; Mine and Tim’s house; Tim’s and my houses (never write or say I’s)

Apostrophes with Contractions Use the apostrophe to mark omitted letters or numbers it’s = it is (its shows possession) who’s = who is (whose shows possession) ’79 = 1979 what’ve = what have

Apostrophes with Plurals Use apostrophes to form plurals of lowercase letters and abbrevations with periods. Always use ‘ with A or a. k’s B.A.’s A’s a’s The apostrophe is optional for numbers, abbreviations without periods, and symbols UFOs or UFO’s 1950s or 1950’s (I prefer ’50s over ’50’s) do’s and don’ts #s or #’s; &s or &’s

Unnecessary Apostrophes Don’t use the apostrophe with possessive pronouns. his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs, whose Don’t use the apostrophe with regular forms of plural nouns that don’t show possession. two cars, but the car’s driver The Smiths went to three parades.