Apostrophes How to Use ’Em The two girls’ bedroom One boy’s bedroom Can’t She’d They’d Don’t Won’t We’re They’re He’d I’m She’s He’s We’d The two girls’ bedroom One boy’s bedroom The newspaper’s readers Danny’s favourite Sophia’s coat How to Use ’Em

An apostrophe has two very different uses: 2. To show that something belongs to something or someone (or is of something/someone): 1. To show that letters have been missed out to shorten a word (or to contract two words to make a new word:) * Don’t = do not * They’re = they are Isn’t = is not * She’s = she is I’m = I am * Can’t = cannot It’s = it is * He’s = he is Won’t = will not * ’em = them (slang) You’re = you are * ’ Tis = it is (old fashioned slang.) Mia’s cat is so cute! They danced beautifully in the children’s competition. The newspaper’s readers were shocked by the story.

Use Number 1: show that letters have been missed Contracted words are used a lot when we speak, or write informal pieces of writing. For example, I am can be contracted to I’m. Formal English is more ‘serious’ and business-like English, but informal English sounds more casual (day-to-day) and friendly. (Richard Nordquist, 2018, https://www.thoughtco.com/contractions-commonly-used-informal-english- 1692651 ) Use Number 1: show that letters have been missed

Here are some examples of informal English where you might use contracted words: * talking to people; * writing a text message; * writing a letter or email to a friend or someone you know fairly well.

Missing Letters Apostrophe (or Omissive Apostrophe) Stop-Motion Film

I am

a I m

a I m

a I m

‘ I m

‘ I m

I’m

Do not

o Do n t

o Do n t

‘ Do n t

‘ Do n t

‘ Do n t

Do n’t

Don’t

Will not

Will not

o Will n t

o Will n t

o Will n t

‘ Wo n t

‘ Wo n t

‘ Wo n t

‘ Wo n t

Won‘t

Here are some common contractions: Don’t = Do not Didn’t = Did not Can’t = Cannot Couldn’t = Could not She’s/he’s = She is/he is Won’t = Will not It’s = It is You’re = You are

She’d = She would He’d = He would I’m = I am We’re = We are She’d = She would He’d = He would Wouldn’t = Would not They’ll = They will Should’ve = Should have Could’ve = Could have They’ve = They have We’ve = We have

To make life even more confusing, we need to remember that: We only need an apostrophe in it’s when we mean it is. If we are talking about something belonging to it, we don’t use an apostrophe. Similarly, we don’t need an apostrophe for other pronouns such as yours, ours, theirs, hers, or his.

This is sometimes called a possessive apostrophe. Mia’s cat is so cute! For example, instead of saying ‘the cat belonging to Nina’, we can say, ‘Nina’s cat ‘. Instead of saying ‘the readers of the newspaper’, we can say ’the newspaper’s readers’. Use Number 2: Show that something belongs to, or is of that person or thing. This is sometimes called a possessive apostrophe.

As this picture explains, when using a possessive apostrophe, the apostrophe points to the ‘owner’. The monster’s teeth are big! Those kids danced beautifully in the children’s dance competition. The dogs’ bowl was full. ‘s ‘s ‘s

NB If we were talking about one dog, the apostrophe would point to dog: “The dog’s bowl…”. However, because the bowl belongs to more than one dog, it points to dogs: “The dogs’ bowl…”

A very common mistake is to insert a comma when we are talking about a plural People may also want to insert a comma into the present tense verbs that are paired with he/she/it/[person’s name], such as runs, eats etc. In these cases, you should not use an apostrophe. Also remember that ‘ ’ or “ “ around a word or group of words are quotation marks working as a pair and not an apostrophe.

Quick Recap Activity: Does the highlighted s in these sentences need an apostrophe? Sammy loves her dogs, Fred and George. Michael Jackson used to perform with his brothers in ‘The Jackson 5.’ Fred and Georges new beds look comfortable.

Are these apostrophes correct? ‘ 5 Do’nuts for £1.50.’ Laila loves her brothers’. Laila’s brothers love her too. A slang word for ‘brothers’ is ‘bro’s.’ The two girls’ interests were very different.