The Apostrophe - Bow Valley College

The
Apostrophe
A. Use an apostrophe to show
omission of one or more letters in a
contraction.
Note: Even though contractions are common in daily speech and in
written dialogue, avoid them in formal writing.
Examples
1. Apostrophe replacing the letter a to form a contraction:
I + am = I’m
we + are = we’re
you + are = you’re
they + are = they’re
2. Apostrophe replacing the letter i to form a contraction:
it + is = it’s
there + is = there’s
that + is = that’s
she + is = she’s
what + is = what’s
who + is = who’s

where + is = where’s
how + is = how’s
when + is = when’s
why + is = why’s
3. Apostrophe replacing the letter o to form a contraction:
is + not = isn’t
are + not = aren’t
was + not = wasn’t
were + not = weren’t
has + not = hasn’t
have + not = haven’t
had + not = hadn’t
do + not = don’t
did + not = didn’t
could + not = couldn’t
would + not = wouldn’t
should + not = shouldn’t
4. Apostrophe replacing two or more letters to form a contraction
can + not = can’t
I + shall = I’ll
I + will = I’ll
I + would = I’d
I + had = I’d

I + would have = I would’ve/I’d’ve
will + not = won’t
I + have = I’ve
he + has = he’s
it + has = it’s
I + could have = I could’ve
I + should have = I should’ve
of the clock = o’clock
5. To indicate omission in dates:
a. Most ’49ers didn’t find gold.
b. Do we still have the spirit of ’76?
c. She will graduate in the class of ’79.
Quick Quiz 1 (Answer key starts on page 13)
Form the contractions for the words in parentheses.
Examples
He (could not) couldn’t come.
1. (I will) ____________________ be with you in a minute.
2. (It is) ____________________ five (of the clock) ___________________.
3. John (would not) ____________________ go there if you paid him.
4. (What is) ____________________ his name?
5. (I would) _________________ say (they are) _________________ happy.
B. Showing Possession

1. Add an apostrophe + s (’s) to show possession in a noun that does not end in
s .
Examples
Nouns not ending in s Noun + ’s
a. The fender of this car = This car’s fender.
b. The hobby of the boy = The boy’s hobby
c. The stories of the author = The author’s hobby
d. The coats of the men = The men’s coats
e. The voices of the children = The children’s voices
f. The activities of the alumni = The alumni’s activities
2. Add an apostrophe (’) to show possession in a noun that ends in s .
Examples
Nouns ending in s Noun + ’
a. The work of Charles = Charles’ work or Charles’s work
b. The colour of the dress = The dress’ colour or The
dress’s colour
Note: A singular noun ending in s (Charles, dress) may add either
’s or ’ alone.
c. The house of the Joneses = The Joneses’ house
d. The bindings of the books = The books’ bindings
e. the coats of the ladies = The ladies’ coats
f. The fenders of both cars = The cars’ fenders
g. A leave of three days = A three days’ leave
Quick Quiz 2

Reword each of the following sentences, using an apostrophe to show
possession.
Example
I walked along the edge of the cliff.
Reworded: I walked along the cliff’s edge.
a. The end of the day finally arrived.
________________________________________________________
b. Look at the techniques of these painters.
_________________________________________________________
c. We were in the eye of the hurricane.
_________________________________________________________
d. Where is the dressing room of the women?
_________________________________________________________
e. The hobbies of the boy include drag racing.
_________________________________________________________
f. They found the tracks of many elephants.
_________________________________________________________
3. Form the possessive of a hyphenated noun at the end of the word following
the last hyphen.
Examples
a. The name of my mother-in-law = my mother-in-law’s name
b. The club of the mothers-in-law = the mothers-in-law’s club

c. The lid of the jack-in-the-box = the jack-in-the-box’s lid
d. The blossoms of the cherry tree = the cherry tree’s blossoms
4. Form the possessive of nouns joined by and as follows:
1. When possession is individual, show possession through each
noun.
2. When possession is joint, show possession through the noun following
the last and.
Examples
a. Individual possession: Each noun shows possession.
• The lives of Lewis and Clark were different = Lewis’s and Clark’s
lives were different.
• The knapsacks of John, Mary, and Suzie = John’s, Mary’s, and
Suzie’s knapsacks.
b. Joint possession: The noun following the last and shows possession.
Quick Quiz 3
• The expedition of Lewis and Clark started in 1804 = Lewis and
Clark’s expedition started in 1804.
• The house of John, Mary, and Suzie = John, Mary, and Suzie’s
house.
Add any needed apostrophes to the following sentences.
Examples
a. That 17-year-old’s ability amazes everyone.
b. The Federal Government’s and Provincial Government’s policies do not
always agree.
1. The thief stole my brother-in-laws CB radio.
2. The forget-me-nots blossoms are out today.

3. Barnum and Baileys circus was in town last week.
4. What do you think of Trudeaus and Clarks politics?
5. Some words (possessive pronouns) have the idea of possession built into
them, and therefore never use apostrophes.
Examples
yours If the house is yours, why did you knock at
the door?
his His eyes are brown.
hers Honesty is a characteristic of hers.
its The dog chases its tail.
Note: Be careful not to confuse its with the contraction it’s. Use
this test to see if its requires an apostrophe: Substitute it is for it’s.
If it is does not make sense in the sentence, use its without an
apostrophe, e.g., "The dog chases it is tail." Since this does not
make sense, its is correct: "The dog chases its tail."
ours We are staying here since the farm is ours.
theirs He is a friend of theirs.
whose Whose slide rule did he use?
Note: Be careful not to confuse whose with the contraction
who’s. Use this test to see which is correct: Substitute who is for
whose or who’s. e.g., "Who is slide rule did he use?" since this
does not make sense, the correct word is whose: "Whose slide
rule did he use?"
Quick Quiz 4
Circle the correct word in parentheses.
Example
I wonder (who’s, whose) house that is.

1. (Whose, Who’s) coming?
2. (Its, It’s) Sandra.
3. (Whose, Who’s) coat is she wearing?
4. (It’s, Its) not mine, but I like (it’s, its) colour.
C. Using Apostrophes for Other Purposes
Note: The one function of punctuation is to clarify meaning. Some writers and
publishers omit apostrophes in the following cases as long as no possible
confusion of meaning results.
1. To form the plurals of letters.
Examples
a. Cross your t’s.
b. Learn your abc’s.
c. Who is going to teach our children the three R’s.
2. To form the plurals of dates and other figures:
Examples
a. It happened in the 1930’s.
b. I will need three 4 x 4’s to shore up this wall.
c. Here are two 5’s and two 10’s.
3. To form the plurals of words named as words.
Examples
a. His promises contain too many if’s, and’s, and but’s.
b. She didn’t like his thank-you’s.
c. They had said their good-by’s.
Quick Quiz 5

Add any needed apostrophes to the following sentences.
Example
The Civil Rights movement came to prominence in
the 1960’s.
a. Be sure to dot your is.
b. He said his hellos when he returned.
c. How many 2 x 4s should I get?
Review and Practice
Each of the sections of this Review and Practice is different.
Section A
Add apostrophes in the sentences below to show contraction.
Example
Although he’s my friend, I’m not sure I’d trust him.
1. He doesnt need me any more.
2. Youre right, and Im wrong.
3. Its none of my business.
4. Theyre coming for you!
5. Shes the one whos to blame.
6. Arent you ready yet?
7. I shouldnt let you in.
8. The rains of the winter of 39 havent been equalled yet.
9. Ill guess shell be coming around the mountain.
10. Ill be around, and youll be with me.

Section B
Circle the correct word in parentheses.
Section C
Example
He set aside one (days’, day’s) profits.
1. Ted doubted the (mans, man’s) honesty.
2. Don’t tell me (her, hers) age.
3. (Whose, Who’s) bright idea was it?
4. (Willis, Willis’s) car chugged slowly over the crest of the hill.
5. He turned the plane toward the (suns’, sun’s) light.
6. (It’s, Its) time for us to think things over.
7. (Jame’s, James’s) name was on her lips.
8. Even if I sell my property, they will keep (theirs, there’s).
One word in each of the following sentences should show possession. Circle the
word and add an apostrophe, if necessary.
Example
He found the old raccoon coat in his father’s closet.
1. Up the steeples north side the steeplejack climbed.
2. When I heard the description, I knew the stolen car was ours.
3. Stanley sent Mr. Smiths steamroller rumbling down the ravine.
4. This rectangles area remained unknown.
5. Whose coat is it?
6. Give me Charles overseas address.

Section D
7. Both clocks pendulums had stopped swinging.
8. Save me from its grip!
9. When the detective questioned her, she admitted the phone
number was hers.
10. The three farmers silos were being cleared of rats.
Reword each of the following sentences using an apostrophe to show
possession.
Example:
The wool of the sheep was sheared.
Reworded: The sheep’s wool was sheared.
1. What is the name of the president-elect?
_____________________________________________________
______
2. The scales of the fish were luminescent.
_____________________________________________________
______
3. The hats of Tom, Dick, and Harry are made of felt.
_____________________________________________________
______
4. The sentences of the court-martial were unusually severe.
_____________________________________________________
______
5. H.M.S. Pinafore is one of the funniest of the operas of Gilbert
and Sullivan.
_____________________________________________________
______

Answer Key
Quick Quiz 1
1. I’ll be with you in a minute.
2. It’s five o’clock.
3. John wouldn’t go there if you paid him.
4. What’s his name?
5. I’d say they’re happy.
Quick Quiz 2
a. The day’s end finally arrived.
b. Look at these painters’ techniques.
c. We were in the hurricane’s eye.
d. Where is the women’s dressing room?
e. The boy’s hobbies include drag racing.
f. They found many elephants’ tracks.
Quick Quiz 3
1. The thief stole my brother-in-law’s CB radio.
2. The forget-me-not’s blossoms are out today.
3. Barnum and Bailey’s circus was in town last week.
4. What do you think of Trudeau’s and Clark’s politics?
Quick Quiz 4
1. Who’s (who is)
2. It’s (it is)
3. Whose (belonging to whom)

4. It’s (it is)
its (belonging to it)
Quick Quiz 5
1. i’s
2. hello’s
3. 2 x 4’s
Review And Practice
Section A
1. doesn’t
2. you’re ... I’m
3. It’s
4. They’re
5. She’s ... who’s
6. Aren’t
7. shouldn’t
8. ’39 haven’t
9. I’ll ... she’ll
10. I’ll ... you’ll
Section B
1. man’s
2. her
3. Whose

4. Willis’ or Willis’s
5. sun’s
6. It’s
7. James’ or James’s
8. theirs
Section C
1. steeple’s
2. ours
3. Mr. Smith’s
4. rectangle’s
5. Whose
6. Charles’ or Charles’s
7. clocks’
8. its
9. hers
10. farmers’
Section D
1. What is the president-elect’s name.
2. The fish’s scales were luminescent.
3. Tom’s, Dick’s and Harry’s hats are made of felt.
4. The court-martial’s sentences were unusually severe.
5. H.M.S. Pinafores is one of the funniest of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas.