How To Correctly Use Apostrophes
A common grammar-nazi pet peeve is the incorrect use of apostrophes.
Traditionally known as the greengrocer’s apostrophe because of signs like “Orange’s $1.99″, I think we could start calling it the newspapers’ apostrophe [note correct use of apostrophe] because of the amount of errors print editors seem to glance over.
Be aware of the its/it’s exception. You should only use an apostrophe with the word “it” when you want to indicate a contraction for “it is” or “it has”. Otherwise, its is one of the few words that indicates possession without an apostrophe. For example, “The dog is eating its bone”. This may seem confusing, but it follows the same pattern as other possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, yours, ours, theirs.
I’ll be the first to admit bad punctuation is a minor offense. However, doesn’t correct grammar make you feel nice and warm inside?
How to Use Apostrophes - [WikiHow]
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Comments
trillwing says on May 7th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Apostrophe abuse is one of my pet peeves. So is the use of “amount” when one means “number”–e.g. “amount of errors” instead of “number of errors.”
BillyK says on May 7th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
It’s also called the “errant” apostrophe.
I know you’re smirking while I’m inwardly tormented because of the split infinitive, but I can’t ignore it. It should be:
“How to use apostrophes correctly”
Yours in pedantry
BillyK
Emily says on May 7th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I hate it when people use apostrophes to make plurals. Don’t they know you are just supposed to add an s?
Studio717 says on May 7th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Just to confuse things, the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language says that there’s nothing wrong with what they call “the so-called ’split infinitive’” and, states that, in fact, the term itself is a misnomer.
It all starts on page 581 of the 2002 edition.
I agree with the apostrophe issue. The second most-common issue I see is the confusion of homonyms or near-homonyms.
(The first would be characterized by, for example, there, their, and they’re, the latter by, for example, loathe and loath. The former word is pronounced with a voiced th-sound while the latter is not, but they are still often confused with one another.)
indra says on May 7th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
The split infinitive is grammatical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_infinitive
Craig Childs says on May 7th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Unlike anyone I know, I really do enjoy being corrected when it comes to grammar. Will you guys be my friend’s?
Rob O. says on May 7th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Not surprizingly, when you’ve got one of these squiggly little jobbers in your name, you do tend to take note of the way people use & abuse this punctuation mark.
There’s at least one simple rule to applying the apostrophe correctly:
“Use an apostrophe when letters are missing.”
Kim Siever says on May 7th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Another example of a possessive pronoun without an apostrophe is whose.
Michael Blank says on May 8th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Just a tidbit of info for you, the primary reason for words like Michael’s being possessive forms is because of the language shifts over time. Originally, the word would have been something like Michaeleis (I think) as possessives were marked with a suffix. During the time that the printing press solidified certain parts of the language, this was shortened to Michael’s. The possessive forms of pronouns came to the language later, which meant they were already modified.
Suzy Shedd says on May 9th, 2007 at 5:44 am
Oh, please, it’s NOT a minor error to misuse apostrophes. When I review resumes, I immediately reject any candidates who haven’t taken the the time and trouble to have their spelling, grammar and punctuation reviewed for accuracy. Nor am I the only person I know who has the same standards. I think most of us feel that if you won’t take the time and trouble to make a decent first impression, your work will only go downhill after that.
Errors in spelling, mechanics, and usage harm your image/product/pitch because they are distracting, at best. At worst, your intended message can be rendered incomprehensible or ludicrous.
Dave Crescent says on May 9th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Shouldn’t the title be: How To Correctly Use Apostrophe’s?
Kartik says on May 9th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
“Your” vs. “You’re”…Many use the former in place of the latter…irritating.
TheRealDrache says on March 31st, 2008 at 6:03 am
If the English language wasn’t so screwed up, we wouldn’t have all of these exceptions to the rules.
TheRealDrache says on March 31st, 2008 at 6:06 am
I wouldn’t hire anyone who didn’t know the difference between “your” or “you’re” on their resume. Same if they used “ur” or “u r”, it would be an instant toss in the trash and an insult upon my eyes. I may let an apostrophe error slide though.