How to Use Apostrophes (And When Not to Use Them)

Apostrophes are running amok and must be stopped! Many people seem to believe that any time you add an “s” to the end of a word, it should be preceded by an apostrophe. As a result, we see apostrophes used in lots of places they should not be. Here is a simple guide to using apostrophes only when they are truly needed.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Leave apostrophes out of plurals. This is perhaps the most common apostrophe error. “I bought apple’s at the market,” is incorrect. It should be, “I bought apples at the market.”

2. Use an apostrophe when the plural is of a single letter. Every rule has its exception: “I crossed all my t’s and dotted my i’s.”

3. Choose a consistent style when there is no clear right or wrong. The style guides disagree on whether apostrophes should be used for the plurals of abbreviations or acronyms using capital letters, such as CD, PhD, etc. It seems to be a matter of your preferred style.

4. 
    

   Use apostrophes in possessives. “Janet’s dress is blue.” For a plural possessive, add the apostrophe at the end: “The girls’ dresses are blue.”

5. Skip the apostrophe for “its” and possessive pronouns. The possessive form of “its” does not have an apostrophe: “The CD came in its own box.” The only time an apostrophe is correct in “it’s” is when it’s replaces it is, it has or it was, such as, “It’s too late to go to the movies.” Likewise, you would not add an apostrophe to “yours,” “hers” or other possessive pronouns.

6. Use apostrophes to replace missing letters. Contractions, where words are shortened by removing letters, substitute apostrophes for the missing letters. In, “I can’t go to the movies,” can’t is the shortened form of can not.

Tips & Warnings

• Use apostrophes in possessives, contractions (to replace the missing letters), and plurals of single letters.
• When making a plural possessive, the apostrophe generally goes after the “s”: girls’, cars’, doctors’.
• Do not use apostrophes in possessive pronouns: its, yours, hers, his.
• Do not use apostrophes in plurals: apples, computers, books.