apostrophe
A punctuation mark used to show possession or in contractions
📖 Detailed Explanation
An apostrophe (') serves two main purposes: showing possession (ownership) and forming contractions (shortened forms of words).
📝 Usage Rules
- •Show possession for singular nouns (add 's)
- •Show possession for plural nouns ending in s (add ' only)
- •Form contractions by replacing omitted letters
✅Correct Examples
"The cat's toy was under the couch."
Possessive form of singular noun "cat"
"It's raining outside."
Contraction for "it is"
"The students' books are on the table."
Possessive form of plural noun ending in "s"
"The children's playground is fun."
Possessive form of plural noun not ending in "s"
"Don't forget your homework."
Contraction for "do not"
"The Jones' house is beautiful."
Possessive of family name ending in "s"
❌Incorrect Examples
"The apple's are on sale."
Never use apostrophe to make nouns plural
"Its raining outside."
Should be "It's" (contraction) not "Its" (possessive)
"The cats' toy's are everywhere."
Should be "toys" not "toy's" - no apostrophe for plural
"I love 80's music."
Should be "80s" - no apostrophe for plural decades
💡Pro Tips
- •Its vs. it's: "its" is possessive, "it's" means "it is"
🔗 Related Terms
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