Apostrophe | Effective Writing Practices Tutorial | Northern Illinois University (2024)

FAQs

Should you use apostrophes in academic writing? ›

Apostrophes can be used to create contractions (shortened forms of words or phrases). Apostrophes also indicate possession. Overall, the apostrophe is not common in scientific writing.

Use -s to show ownership for all singular nouns, even those already ending with -s, and for all plural nouns that don't end with -s. For plural nouns ending in -s, use an apostrophe alone. Mike's mother is visiting Mike is singular: add -s Marlys's mother is visiting Marlys ends with -s but is singular: add -s.

Apostrophe errors often occur when the plural form and the possessive form are confused. Additionally, apostrophes also tend to be used incorrectly with years. Incorrect: Joneses yard is much bigger than Smith's.

When reading, you just see if it is a single word or two words "linked" with an apostrophe. For writing, you may employ this mnemonic: I'm crying and saying, "it's not my fault!" A tear will resemble to write it with an apostrophe.

The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols. ​Do not ​use apostrophes to form possessive ​pronouns ​(i.e. ​his​/​her ​computer) or ​noun ​plurals that are not possessives.

Do not use an apostrophe in possessive pronouns, such as whose, ours, yours, his, hers, its, or theirs.

An apostrophe is used in a possessive form, like Esther's family or Janet's cigarettes, and this is the use of the apostrophe which causes most of the trouble. The basic rule is simple enough: a possessive form is spelled with 's at the end. Hence: Lisa's essay.

Why are apostrophes so confusing? ›

Why are so many people so confused by apostrophes? Because they cant hear them in speech, and they dont serve a valuable grammatical function. They simply mark contraction or possession, and you can tell the meaning without them.

Mistake #1: Using apostrophes to make a word plural

It's not raining cat's and dog's, it's raining cats and dogs. Apostrophes are not typically used to make words plural. If you want to make a word plural, you usually just slap an s on the end of it and leave it at that. No apostrophe is needed.

Never use an apostrophe and an s to form a simple plural. This is the so-called “grocer's plural” that makes grammar purists' blood boil: Banana's on sale this week! Enough said. Add an apostrophe and an s to show possession for all singular nouns, even those ending in s, k, x, or z.

Guidelines for Using Apostrophes Correctly: Use an apostrophe to indicate possession (e.g. “John's bike”). Use an apostrophe and “s” to indicate possession with singular nouns (e.g. “The dog's tail”). Use an apostrophe after the “s” for plural nouns that end in “s” to indicate possession (e.g. “The girls' room”).

When an item belongs to one item/acronym (singular), you add an apostrophe and an 's' to the acronym. For example: The TES's story about the UFOs was interesting. There is a UFO overhead.