Download Punctuation - Apostrophes

English 9
Grammar
Lesson 12: Apostrophes
Information about apostrophes can be found in A Writer’s Reference (Section P5).
Punctuation – Apostrophes – To Show Possession
I. Singular Nouns
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A singular noun forms the
possessive adding 's. Write the noun, change no letters, drop no letters, and then simply
add 's. This rule is always the same for each singular noun. Examples: baby - baby's; cow
- cow's; Susie – Susie’s
Exercise 1: Supply the apostrophe and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following
sentences.
1. The boy bike is in the back yard.
2. Sophie car was in the accident yesterday.
3. Isabelle talk was the best yet.
4. What happened to that horse leg?
5. That woman umbrella is blowing away in the wind.
Note: If you’re unsure if a noun is possessive, turn it into an of phrase: “the bike of the
boy” or “the car of James.”
Note: Some proper names end in s: Jones, Harris. Add either an apostrophe (‘) or an
apostrophe s (‘s): whatever sounds better to you.
II. Plural Nouns That Don’t End in “S”
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A plural noun that does not end in
"s" forms the possessive adding 's just like the singular noun. Write the noun, change no
letters, drop no letters, and then simply add 's. This rule is always the same for each
plural noun that does not end in "s."
Ex: men - men's
Exercise 2: Supply the apostrophes and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following
sentences.
1. These women hats are sold in this store.
2. The children party was a great success.
3. The mice tracks were everywhere in the dust.
4. We followed the two deer tracks in the snow.
5. The geese flight was smooth and graceful.
III. Plural Nouns That Do End in “S”
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A plural noun that does end in "s"
forms the possessive adding just '. Write the noun, change no letters, drop no letters, and
then simply add '. This rule is always the same for each plural noun that does end in "s."
(To be sure you need a possessive and not just a plural, say the word followed by "what."
Example: I saw those girls. "Girls" what? Nothing. "Girls" is simply plural. I saw those
girls' gloves. "Girls" what? "Gloves" so "girls" is a possessive.)
Exercise 3: Supply the apostrophes to make the possessives in the following sentences.
1. All the pupils seats were taken.
2. Mud had covered all of the girls dresses.
3. The lawyers fees came to a million dollars.
4. The Hees favorite subject is art.
5. The sailors parents were very worried by the news.
IV. Plurals vs. Possessives
Exercise 4: Supply the apostrophes to make the possessives in the following sentences.
Some words are possessive, and some are simply plural. Often there are hints in other
parts of the sentence to help figure out the difference.
1. A cherry blossoms leaves usually fall to the ground in a couple weeks.
2. In the biology teachers classroom, we learned how pigs are dissected.
3. Many of the girls sweaters were chewed up by her wool-loving dog.
4. We rode our bikes from the beginning of the journey to the journeys end.
5. The students books were all neatly piled in her locker.
V. Joint Possession vs. Individual Possession
To show joint possession (Mike and Alisandro’s favorite movie), use – ‘s or – s’ with the
last noun only. To show individual possession (Mike’s and Alisandro’s bikes), make all
nouns possessive.
Exercise 5:
1. What is Annie and Ashley first period class?
2. Jesse and Jose lockers are right next door to one another.
3. Brogan and Jaelene favorite color is green.
4. Lucas and Thomas belief systems differ greatly.
Punctuation – Apostrophes – To Make a Contraction
I. Contractions
Use the apostrophe in writing contractions. The apostrophe shows that a letter or letters
have been omitted. A pronoun and a verb or a verb with the word "not" are the most
common contractions. Examples: you are = you're, do not = don't
Some contractions stand for more than one pair of words. Example: she is or she has =
she's.
Exercise 6: Write the contractions of the following pairs of words.
1. (we are)
(it is) (you have)
(who is)
(has not)
2. (I will)
(I am) (she will)
(she shall)
(I shall)
3. (I have)
(we shall)
(they are)
(are not)
(did not)
4. (he is)
(you will)
(you are)
(is not)
(had not)
5. (was not)
(have not)
(could not)
(we would)
(they will)
6. (should not)
(does not)
7. (were not) (would not)
(there is)
(that is)
(I had)
(they have)
(you would)
(will not)
II. Contractions vs. Possessive Pronouns
Do not confuse the contractions (it's, who's, they're, you're) with the possessive pronouns
(its, whose, their, your). *Possessive Pronouns NEVER USE APOSTROPHES.
Exercise 7: Choose the correct forms from the words in parentheses in the following
sentences.
1. (It's, Its) about time you started looking for (your, you're) shoes.
2. (They're, their) coming at about nine for (they're, their) children.
3. (It's, Its) mouth is sore because (it's, its) chewing all the time.
4. (Whose, who's) briefcase will you be using for (your, you're) papers?
5. (Your, You're) going to be late, but (whose, who's) going to be on time?
Note: Sound out the contraction in its unabbreviated form to see if it sounds right in the
sentence: “It is” about time you started looking for “you are” shoes. (Correct answers:
“It’s” and “your.”