The 411 - When to Use an Apostrophe—And When You Shouldn’t

Understanding when to use an apostrophe is crucial for proper punctuation and grammar. Here's a guide on when to use an apostrophe and when you shouldn't:

When to Use an Apostrophe:

1. Contractions:

   • Use an apostrophe to represent omitted letters in contractions. Examples:
     • "can't" (cannot),
     • "don't" (do not),
     • "it's" (it is), and
     • "you're" (you are).

2. Possession:

   • Use an apostrophe to indicate possession.
     • Singular Possessive: Add 's to the singular noun. Example: "The dog's tail."
     • Plural Possessive: Add an apostrophe after the plural noun. Example: "The dogs' tails."

3. Contractions in Dialogue:

   • When writing dialogue, use apostrophes to indicate contractions and informal speech. Example: "I don't know what you're talking about."

When Not to Use an Apostrophe:

1. Plurals:

   • Do not use an apostrophe to form plurals. Example: "apples," not "apple's."

2. Possessive Pronouns:

   • Possessive pronouns (his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs) do not require an apostrophe. Example: "The book is hers."

3. Plural Years, Decades, and Acronyms:

   • When referring to a decade or plural years, do not use an apostrophe before the "s." Example: "1980s," not "1980's."
   • For acronyms and abbreviations, form plurals without apostrophes. Example: "MPs" (Members of Parliament), not "MP's."

4. Possessive Gerunds:

   • When indicating possession with gerunds, use the possessive form without an apostrophe. Example: "I appreciate his coming early."

5. Plural Nouns:

   • Plural nouns do not require an apostrophe before the "s" unless showing possession. Example: "chairs," not "chair's."

6. Its vs. It's:

   • "Its" is a possessive pronoun and does not take an apostrophe. Example: "The cat licked its paws."
   • "It's" is a contraction for "it is" and includes an apostrophe. Example: "It's a beautiful day."

7. Plural Family Names:

   • Form the plural of a family name without an apostrophe. Example: "The Smiths are coming over."

8. Plural Letters and Numbers:

   • Plurals of letters and numbers do not require an apostrophe. Example: "She received all A's on her report card."

Remembering these guidelines will help you use apostrophes correctly in your writing, ensuring clear and accurate communication. Whether indicating possession or forming contractions, using apostrophes appropriately contributes to effective and polished writing.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model