Apostrophe and Hyphen

Unnecessary or Missing apostrophe

game plan Use apostrophes correctly to show possession.

singular nouns To show the possessive case of most singular nouns, add and apostrophe and -s. The musical’s case was the best she had seen perform in years.

plural nouns Add an apostrophe to show the possessive case for most plural nouns ending in -s or -es. For plural nouns that do not end in -s or -es, add an apostrophe and -s. The babies’ toys are scattered all around the playroom. The children’s books are piled high on the bookshelves.

possessive pronouns Possessive pronouns(e.g. his, hers, its, our, their) show possession without the use of an apostrophe. Remember that the word it’s means “it is” while its shows possession. His car is at the mechanic because its brake light is out.

unnecessary or missing hyphen

game plan Use hyphens correctly in your writing, including with compound words and compound adjectives.

compound words Hyphens can connect two or more words that are used as one compound word. Some compound words do not require a hyphen. Check a current dictionary if you are unsure about hyphenating a word. My daughter-in-law was waiting in the driveway for us to arrive.

compound adj. A compound adjective that appears before a noun should be hyphenated. Remember, do not hyphenate a compound proper noun acting as an adjective. The well-known musician was in town performing a concert. The Native American people cultivated many crops.

using hyphens Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line Do not divide a one-syllable word Divide a word only between syllables Use a hyphen with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex-, self-, and all-, with the suffix -elect, and with all prefixes before a proper noun or proper adjectives