To the teacher: Your students will need to be able to see the SMART Board presentation. Your students will need their notebooks and/or notebook paper. Your students will need a writing utensil. When you have finished reading a section, click your mouse and the slide will either change or tell you what to do next. Thanks! Mr. Mendenhall

The Apostrophe What is it for?

Look at each of the following sentences The dogs are in the back yard. That dog’s collar is too tight. Those dogs’ owners are inside. In each sentence, the word dogs may sound the same. But in each sentence, the word means something different.

The apostrophe is used so that we can see - not hear - the difference.

When writing about more than one dog, we write dogs. No apostrophe. The dogs are in the back yard. RULE: Do NOT use an apostrophe when making a word plural.

When writing about something one dog owns, or possesses, we use an apostrophe before the s. The apostrophe before an s tells the reader that the object is owned, or possessed, by ONE dog. That dog’s collar is too tight. RULE: Use an apostrophe BEFORE the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by ONE person, place, or thing.

When writing about something more than one dog owns, or possesses, we use an apostrophe after the s. The apostrophe after an s tells the reader that the object is owned, or possessed, by MORE THAN ONE dog. Those dogs’ owners are inside the store. RULE: Use an apostrophe AFTER the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by MORE THAN ONE person, place, or thing.

That’s it! Except for words like that’s. That’s is a contraction, a combination of two words. Contractions don’t confuse people as much as possessives do. That’s why we are focusing on possessives. just three rules...

Do NOT use an apostrophe when making a word plural. The cars are fast. The books are interesting. Use an apostrophe BEFORE the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by ONE person, place, or thing. The car’s engine is powerful. The book’s characters are interesting. Use an apostrophe AFTER the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by MORE THAN ONE person, place, or thing. Those cars’ engines are powerful. The two books’ characters are similar.

Your Turn! Number from one to three in your notebook. Look at these words: tables table’s tables’ Each of the following sentences needs one of these words. Fill in the blank with the correct word. (You just write the word that is the answer, not the whole sentence.) Here we go…

1. The cat toy rolled over by that ________ leg. 2. When you think about it, we have a lot of ________ in our house. 3. All those _______ paint will have to be removed. Now, see how you did. tables table’s tables’

1. The cat toy rolled over by that ______ leg. 2. When you think about it, we have a lot of ______ in our house. 3. All those ______ paint will have to be removed. Congratulations! I bet you got all three right. Remember... tables table’s tables’

Do NOT use an apostrophe when making a word plural. The movies are interesting. I love the winter holidays. Use an apostrophe BEFORE the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by ONE person, place, or thing. The movie’s lead actor is powerful. I like Thanksgiving’s tradition of turkey and dressing. Use an apostrophe AFTER the s when writing about an object owned or possessed by MORE THAN ONE person, place, or thing. The downtown buildings’ windows were dirty from the storm. If we could put all our cups’ saucers away, I would be glad.

The Apostrophe That’s what it is for!