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The Apostrophe
Proper punctuation has suffered a nearly fatal blow in the wake of text
messaging and other social media outlets. The apostrophe has been left out
when it should be included and included when it should be removed. Here’s a
quick guide to put the apostrophe back in its place.
Contractions are used in informal writing to join two words together by
placing an apostrophe in place of a missing letter or letters.
Two Words Contraction
do not don’t
will not won’t
can not can’t
should not shouldn’t
would not wouldn’t
they are they’re
she is she’s
he is he’s
it is it’s
we are we’re
he will he’ll
she will she’ll
they will they’ll
I will I’ll
While less common, apostrophes that signify a contraction may occur at the
beginning of a word. The examples below are more likely to be found in dialogue
where the character is speaking in slang or in an accent other than American
English.
good day g’day
goodbye g’bye
good night g’night
If you are referring to a decade or a particular year , it is common to leave the
first two numerals out and begin the number with an apostrophe.
It happened in the 1970s. It happened in the ‘70s
Where were you in 1982? Where were you in ’82?
Apostrophes are also necessary to indicate possession. Punctuation differs
when something is possessed by one or more than one as the table below
illustrates.
Possession by Singular Noun Possession by Plural Noun (note that
the item possessed may be one or
many)
the dog’s bone the dogs’ bones
the parent’s room the parents’ room
the child’s toy the children’s toys
Pete William’s friend the Williams’ friend
the century’s secret the centuries’ secrets
the cat’s bed the cats’ bed
the boss’s decision the bosses’ decision
the beast’s burden the beasts’ burden
the cow’s pasture the cows’ pasture