How to Use Apostrophes

Apostrophes have two major functions: showing possession and indicating missing letters. In addition, in some instances, an apostrophe can be used to indicate plurality, especially when its exclusion could lead to confusion. 

An apostrophe can be described as looking like a comma, with the key difference between the two being in their placements. Whereas the apostrophe is usually placed at the top of a line of writing, the comma is placed at the bottom. 

Also, an apostrophe can either be curved (also called the typesetter's apostrophe) and look like this ('). Or it can be curly and look like this (‘).

In this article, we provide the major rules that govern the use of apostrophes. Also, we discuss exceptions to these rules and one or two controversies associated with using apostrophes. 

Apostrophe to Show Possession

This rule is the one that apostrophes are most famous for. However, the rules may vary depending on how the word is spelled or on whether it's plural or singular. 

You should also bear in mind that various style guides have differing rules for apostrophe use, especially when it comes to apostrophes used for singular nouns or names that end with s. 

Courtesy of Patrick Fore via Unsplash. 

Apostrophe Use For Most Singular and Plural Nouns

To make a singular noun not ending with s possessive, you should add an apostrophe plus an s. This rule also holds true for words that end with x, z, ce, ch, or sh. Here are some examples listed below: 

 the dog's tail

 Jacky's hair

 the box's edge

 the lace's color

 the church's pastor

 the quiz's difficulty level

For plural nouns, the apostrophe should go after the s to form a possessive. Here are a few examples listed below:

 the dogs' tails

 the boxes' edges

 the laces' colors

 the churches' pastors

 the quizzes' that he passed

James' or James's: Apostrophes with singular nouns that end with "s"

The controversy begins when we examine how to use the apostrophe in creating the possessive for singular nouns that end with s. The rules generally vary according to the style guide being followed. The style guides we will consider here include:

• The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)

• The Associated Press Stylebook

• The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)

• The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 

• Webster’s New World College Dictionary

Most style and punctuation guides recommend that you simply use ’s like all other singular nouns. For example, Santa Claus becomes Santa Claus’s reindeer. However, there are some exceptions. For example, according to AP and Webster's, if the word that immediately comes after begins with an s, use the apostrophe without the s.

 The boss's sister 

 The hostess' situation

Another controversy involves forming the possessive for a singular proper noun or name that ends with s. CMOS, APA, and MLA recommend that you add an apostrophe plus s. For example:

 James's car

 Jessica Jones's victory

 However, AP recommends adding only an apostrophe. For example: 

 James' car

 Jessica Jones' victory

Using apostrophes with the plurals of family names

While the rules we just mentioned can be used for family names, caution should be taken when implementing them. The particularities associated with family names that end with s  means that it can be vulnerable to several errors. 

For example, this includes common errors such as, Happy New Year from the Smith’s, We’ll see you at the Antoine’s house, and Have you seen the Jones's new car? 

To avoid such common errors, you should simply apply the basic rules of plurals and possessives. The first thing to do is to figure out if one or more persons are being referenced. That helps determine if the plural or singular form is being used. Mr. Smith + Mrs. Smith = two Smiths. Therefore, this makes it plural. 

The same goes for names that end in s, with the exception that they typically use es to creat the plural form. For example:

 Jake Morris + Jane Morris = The Morrises

 Jane Walsh + Jennifer Walsh = The Walshes

 Venus Williams + Serena Williams = Williamses

After determining whether the case is singular like Smith or Williams or a plural like Smiths or Williamses, you should implement the basic rules for forming possessives: that is, add apostrophe plus s for singular nouns and only use an apostrophe for plural cases.

Here are some examples to illustrate our point: 

 The Jones live in the Jones' house.

 I will visit Mr. Jone's villa. 

 Jane and Jennifer Walsh live in the Walshes' house. 

 Jane Walsh's house is huge!

Shared versus independent possessives

This one can be a little tricky. This refers to sentences where the possessive form has to be created for two or more nouns in a single sentence. If two or more nouns share ownership of something, the apostrophe s should only be placed on the last noun. 

 Jack and Jill’s house

 Jack and Jill’s friends (the friends belong to both Jack and Jill) 

If the nouns possess something independently of each other, each gets its own apostrophe and s. 

 Jackson's and Paul's children (their children are not the same) 

Possessive versus adjectival forms

In news style or AP, publications often use certain plural nouns, such as in teachers in teachers union, couples in couples massage, farmers in farmers market, etc., as adjectives and without an apostrophe. This is often called the attributive form. News publications make this choice for both aesthetic and logical reasons. 

Some news publications see apostrophe usage as ugly and interfering with the visual flow of the text on the page. In terms of logic, farmers’ market suggests that the market belongs to the farmers, whereas farmers market suggests that the market is about the farmers. 

Usually, in such cases, you can choose whatever option that suits your taste or purpose. However, for certain terms, including farmers market, workers’ compensation, and teachers college, various style guides have specific rules. 

Note, this unique option applies only to plural forms that end in s. For irregular pluralized nouns, such as men, women, children, sheep, and deer, you must use an apostrophe and s. 

Apostrophes to Indicate Contraction & Ommission

Apostrophes can be used to form contractions to show that letters or numbers are missing. We will look at the various examples of this here.

1. Common contractions. For example, don’t is a contraction of do not, so its apostrophe is standing in for a missing o. In it’s, the apostrophe indicates a missing letter i in it is. 

2. To indicate dialect pronunciation. Apostrophes are often used in this way to show pronunciations that are associated with regional accents and dialects. For example, in talkin’, the apostrophe represents a missing letter, g. 

3. In decades. The apostrophe is used to indicate omitted numerals: 

 The cartoons of the ’90s

 The mansion was completed in the ’50s

In these examples, the apostrophe shows that the numerals 1 and 9 are missing. However, apostrophes should not be used to form plurals for decades. For example, it should be 1980s, not 1980’s in the majority of style guides.

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Apostrophes are common punctuation marks that are typically used to show possession and indicate missing letters or numbers. However, there are a number of particulates that should be considered when using apostrophes.

 The rules for using apostrophes may be influenced by factors such as the style guide you follow, your intended meaning, or your personal taste. 

References

Casagrande, J. (2014). The Best Punctuation Book, Period. Ten Speed Press.

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Cite this EminentEdit article

Antoine, M. (2024, August 26). How to Use Apostrophes. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/how-to-use-apostrophes