Mastering Apostrophe Usage in Writing

Front

What is an apostrophe used for in writing?

Back

An apostrophe is used to indicate possession (e.g., the dog's leash) or to show omitted letters in contractions (e.g., don't for do not).

Front

How do you form the possessive of a singular noun?

Back

To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe followed by 's' (e.g., the teacher's book).

Front

How do you form the possessive of a plural noun that ends in 's'?

Back

For plural nouns that end in 's', add only an apostrophe after the 's' (e.g., the teachers' lounge).

Front

What is the correct use of an apostrophe in contractions?

Back

An apostrophe is used to indicate omitted letters in contractions (e.g., can't for cannot, it's for it is).

Front

What is the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?

Back

'Its' is a possessive pronoun meaning belonging to it, while 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is' or 'it has'.

Front

How do you indicate possession for a singular noun that ends in 's'?

Back

For a singular noun that ends in 's', you can add either an apostrophe followed by 's' (e.g., James's book) or just an apostrophe (e.g., James' book), depending on style guide preferences.

Front

What is a plural possessive noun?

Back

A plural possessive noun shows that something belongs to more than one person or thing (e.g., the students' projects).

Front

How do you form the possessive of a compound noun?

Back

For a compound noun, add the apostrophe and 's' to the last word (e.g., my mother-in-law's recipe).

Front

What is the correct apostrophe usage in the phrase 'the girls soccer team'?

Back

The correct phrase is 'the girls' soccer team' to indicate that the team belongs to multiple girls.

Front

What is the rule for using apostrophes with decades?

Back

When indicating decades, use an apostrophe to replace the omitted numbers (e.g., the '90s for the 1990s).