What Is an Apostrophe?

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The Apostrophe has been the source of much confusion and angst for English speakers for centuries. This may look like a little punctuation mark. Its uses are many and varied.

This blog will cover the different methods. Use apostrophes and hopefully clear up some misconceptions surrounding this pesky little mark.

What are the 3 Uses of Apostrophes?

There are three main uses of apostrophes: to indicate possession, indicate a contraction, or create irregular plurals.

For example, you would use an apostrophe to show that something belongs to someone (Bob’s computer) or when you are shortening a word (can’t for cannot).

an apostrophe

Apostrophes can also form irregular plurals, as in the phrase “a bunch of bananas,” where The Apostrophe is a sign that there is more than one banana.

1. Apostrophes and Possession

Apostrophes are used to indicate possession or to show that something has been omitted from a text. There are many different ways that you can use apostrophes for controlling.
But the most common is to indicate that one noun belongs to another.

For example, if I say “the cat’s toy,” the toy belongs to the cat. You can also use apostrophes to indicate joint possession when two or more people or things own something jointly.

When to use an Apostrophe With Last Names

There’s a lot of confusion about when to use an apostrophe with last names. Some people think you’re supposed to use one whenever you refer to someone by their last name, as in “Smith is at the door,” while others maintain that you should only use an apostrophe when you’re referring to a group of people, as in “The Smiths are over there.” So which is it? The truth is, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, but most grammar experts seem to

When Names Ending With ‘s’ Need an Apostrophe

When using an apostrophe with names that end in “s” has been a perennial thorn in the side of writers and editors. A quick poll of our staff yielded six different answers to the question. So what is the answer?
The Chicago Manual of Style: One of the most influential style guides globally. Respected style guides in publishing say: “For all plural nouns not ending in s, add apostrophe s: brothers’, sisters,’ children’s.

Is “Its” Possessive? What About “Whose”?

It’s, and it is, two of the more commonly misused words in the English language. Though their meanings are simple enough (it’s is a contraction of it is, while it is a possessive pronoun), many people misuse them. Here’s how to do it right the first time.

2. Apostrophes and Contractions

Most people get confused between contractions and apostrophes. They use apostrophes to show possession (Bob’s car) or to make a contraction (I’m, they’re, it’s). Many people use apostrophes when they shouldn’t – like in the word it’s (it is).

There’s also the issue of putting an apostrophe before or after the s in plurals. For instance, should it be CDs or CDs? The general rule is that if the word does

When Decades Become Contractions

In English, when certain decades are used to reference a particular year within the decade, they are often written as contractions. For example, “the 90s” is short for “the 1990s.” This trend can also be seen in other languages. In Spanish, for example, “Los Noventa” is written as “Los 90.” However, there are instances when the contracted form is not used.

What About Apostrophes and Holidays?

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colour, and the temperature is dropping. Pumpkins are on the horizon.

Spice everything is starting to show up in grocery stores. Yes, it’s autumn! But with the arrival of a new season comes some confusion over when to use apostrophes.

For example, should we say “Happy Thanksgiving!” or “Happy Holidays!”? In this post, we’ll look at apostrophes and holidays to clear up any confusion.

3. Apostrophes and Plural Letters, Numbers, and Symbols

The English language is full of quirky rules that can often seem nonsensical. For example, why do we add an “s” to make a word plural, as in “bees”? Why is it apostrophe-s when it should be just an apostrophe for possession (as in “John’s book”)? And why are there so many different ways to spell the number “eight”? These are difficult questions with no definitive answer.

Apostrophe conclusion

This article has looked at Apostrophe, a new content management system gaining popularity for its ease of use and flexibility. We have explored some of the features that make Apostrophe stand out from other content management systems and looked at how it can be used. If you are interested in learning more about Apostrophe, visit the Apostrophe website.

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