5/01/2009

The Apostrophe!

The apostrophe (') has three general uses:
To indicate:


A) Possessive case of singular and plural nouns that don't end in s:

The boy's bike; the men's wives; the mice's ears

(note that even though men and mice are plural nouns, they do not end in s!)

B) Possessive case of singular nouns ending in s; in that case it's optional:

James's car; Charles's son; Burns' poetry
(or)
James' car; Charles' son; Burns' poetry


C) Possessive case of indefinite pronouns:

anybody's idea; everybody's problem; someone's car

D) An apostrophe without an s is added to form the possessive of plural nouns that end in s. Most plural nouns, of course, fit into this category.

babies' clothing; boys' teachers; doctors' patients

E) It also indicates the omission of letters or figures:

I've; can't, '48(1948); the class of '99 (1999)

F) It indicates the plural of letters and figures:

Let's begin with the B's.

Don't ever use the apostrophe to indicate plural!!!!

Wrong usage: The girl's are having English class.
Correct usage: The girls are having class.

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