Apostrophes & Commonly Confused Words

Apostrophes & Commonly Confused Words

by COLLEEN HAMPTON

Multiple Select

Use an apostrophe to...

• show possession

• form a contraction

• make a single number or letter plural

• to make anything plural

Apostrophe Use

• ​1. Contractions: shortens words by replacing one or more letters with an apostrophe

• Ex: Could’ve = could have

• 2. Show possession: An apostrophe shows belonging

• Ex: the dog’s leash

• 3. Form the plural of single numbers or letters: this is the ONLY time an apostrophe is used to make something plural

  Ex: There were two B’s on her report card. 

  Ex: I scored mostly 4’s and 5’s on the rubric.

Fill in the Blank

Type the contraction for she will 

Fill in the Blank

Type the contraction for will not

Fill in the Blank

Type the contraction for where did

​Possessive Apostrophe Rules: Basics

​A singular noun or indefinite pronoun: Just add an apostrophe + s

• Someone’s lunch

• Jim’s sandwich

• A Bug’s Life

Fill in the Blank

Fill in the blank with the underlined word, using an apostrophe to show possession:

That cookie belongs to the child.

That is the ____ cookie.

Fill in the Blank

Fill in the blank with the underlined word, using an apostrophe to show possession:

That pen belongs to Jen.

That is ____ pen.

​Possessive Apostrophe Rules: Plural Nouns

Plural noun that ends in “s”: Just add an apostrophe 

​

Ex: the markers’ box

​

Plural noun that does not end in “s”:

Add an apostrophe + s

​

Ex: the children’s playground​

​

Multiple Choice

How would you refer to the kickball belonging to the kids? 

• The kids' kickball

• The kids kickball

• The kid's kickball

Multiple Choice

How would you refer to the laces on both of your shoes? 

• My shoes' laces

• My shoe's laces

• My shoes laces

• My shoes laces'

Multiple Choice

How would you refer to the cheese that belongs to the mice?

• the mouse's cheese

• the mouses' cheese

• the mice's cheese

• the mice' cheese

Multiple Choice

Which is INCORRECT?

• Patrick's alarm did not go off, so he was late for school.

• The girls' coats were soaked by the storm.

• Who won the Peoples' Choice Award?

​Possessive Apostrophe Rules: More than one owner

​For two people owning one thing together: Just add an apostrophe + s to the second name 

​

Ex: Sam and Omie’s restaurant in the Outer Banks, NC

​

For two people with separate ownership over different things: add an apostrophe + s to BOTH names

​

Ex: Kelly’s and Mulligan’s restaurants in the Outer Banks, NC

Ex: Sarah’s and Sam’s bikes are missing!

​

Multiple Choice

Daniel and Brian share a Nintendo Switch.

Which is the correct way to show it belongs to both of them?

• Daniel's and Brian's Nintendo Switch

• Daniel and Brian's Nintendo Switch

Multiple Choice

Daniel got his own Nintendo Switch for his brithday. Now he and Brian each have a Nintendo Switch.

Which is the correct way to write this?

• Daniel's and Brian's Nintendo Switches

• Daniel and Brian's Nintendo Switches

• Daniel's and Brian's Nintendo Switch

Multiple Choice

Which of these is INCORRECT?

• Jay's and Blakely's lockers

• Jenna's and Natalie's lunches

• Deven's and Jayme's school bus

• Aislinn and Fisher's father

Multiple Choice

Which is INCORRECT?

• Iron Man's and Captain America's fight divided the Avengers.

• Holmes and Watson's apartment is on Baker Street.

• Harry's and Ron's wands are made from different magical materials.

Apostrophes and Names

• If the name ends in "s", add an apostrophe + s

  • Example: Jonas's assignment​ in The Giver

  • Jonas is just one person, so the name is singular

    ​

• If referring to a family, make the last name plural

  • ​Ex: The Smiths, The Joneses, The Martinezes

• If possessive is needed, then add an apostrophe:

  • The Smiths' house, the Joneses' car, the Martinzes' address​

Open Ended

Your turn! Write your own original sentence about a character in your book. Imitate the structure of this one:

Jonas's curiosity pushes him to consult the Giver about his ability to see color.

Character + trait + effect on the story

Commonly Confused Words​

Apostrophes & Possession​

​their/ there/ they’re

• where/ were/ we’re

• your/ you’re

• whose/ who’s

• its / it’s

• are / our​

​Their vs. There vs. They’re

​Their: possessive form of “they” (belongs to them)  

There: in or at that place

They’re: contraction for “they are”

• Tip: if saying they are makes sense in the sentence, use they’re

• ​

• ​Other contractions with "they"

• ​they’ve: they have

• they’d: they had; they would

• they’ll: they will; they shall

Multiple Choice

... is a possessive pronoun.

• their

• there

• they're

Multiple Choice

Which sentence does NOT work for "THERE"?

• There is always hope for those who believe.

• There are 16 players who want to win.

• Is there any reason why you are sad today?

• There best friend was the famous Harry Potter.

Multiple Choice

Which correctly completes the sentence?

_____ going to be late for school if they don't eat ___breakfast faster.

• They're, there

• Their, they're

• They're, their

• There, their

• Their, their

​We’re / were / where: Common spelling mistake

​We’re: contraction of “we are”

• Tip:  if saying we are makes sense in the sentence, use we’re.

• ​Ex: We're going to be late!

were: past tense verb (plural)

Ex: We were texting.  

Ex. Their dogs were barking.

where: refers to location (see the word “here”?

​Ex: Do you know where I left my glasses?

​Ex: Where would you like to go on vacation?

​

​DON'T confuse where and wear! They also sound the same.

Multiple Choice

I don't know _____ we are going.

• We're

• Wear

• Where

• Were

Multiple Choice

I don't know where _____ going.

• We're

• Wear

• Where

• Were

Multiple Choice

____ back ____ we ____ yesterday.

• We're / wear / were

• We're / where / were

• Were / where / we're

Other contractions with “we”

​we’ve: we have

we’d: we had; we would

we’ll: we will; we shall

​Other contractions with “were” & “where”

• weren’t: were not

• where’ve: where have

• where’d: where did

• where’ll: where will; where shall

• where’s: where is​

​Who’s vs. Whose

• Who’s = who is or who has

  • Ex: Who’s coming to the movies tonight?

  • Ex: Who’s been to DisneyWorld?

• Tip:  if saying who is makes sense in the sentence, use who’s.

  • Other contractions using "who"

  • who’d: who would; who had

    who’ll: who will; who shall​

• ​

• Whose = the possessive form of who or which 

  • Ex: Whose jacket is this?

  • Ex: I don’t know whose car is parked there.

Multiple Choice

__________ backpack was left in the classroom?

• Who

• Whom

• Who's

• Whose

Multiple Choice

__________ responsible for this?!

• Who

• Whom

• Who's

• Whose

​Your / You’re

• your:  use to show that something belongs to you (possessive)

  • Ex: Is this your coat?  

  • Ex: That is your seat.

• you’re: a contraction, meaning you are

  • Ex: You’re not serious!  

  • Tip:  if saying you are makes sense in the sentence, use you’re.

• ​Other contractions using "you"

• ​​you’d: you would; you had

  you’ll: you will; you shall

  you’ve: you have

Multiple Choice

Select the grammatically correct sentence.

• That's not your phone.

• That's not you're phone.

• Thats not your phone.

Multiple Choice

Select the grammatically correct sentence.

• They tell you, “Sorry, you’re on your own.”

• They tell you, “Sorry, your on your own.”

• They tell you, “Sorry, your on you're own.”

• They tell you, “Sorry, you're on you're own.”

​its / it’s

​its:  use to show that something belongs to it (possessive)

• Ex: The door shuts on its own.  

• Ex: The lion is eating its dinner.

• ​

• it’s: a contraction, meaning it is or it has

  • Ex: It’s been raining all day.

  • Ex: It's still raining now.  

    Tip:  if saying it is or it has makes sense in the sentence, use it’s.

  • ​

  • Other contractions with “it”

    ​it’d: it would; it had

    it’ll: it will; it shall

Multiple Choice

Its is:

• a possessive

• a contraction

Multiple Choice

____ too early to wake up!

• Its

• It's

Multiple Choice

The book is so old that I fear I might damage ____ brittle and dusty pages.

• it's

• its

​our / are

• our:  shows that something belongs to us (possessive)

  • This car is ours.

  • That is our favorite restaurant.

• are: verb form of “be”

  • We are leaving in an hour. 

  • They are mixing up commonly confused words.

• aren’t: contraction of are not

  • They aren’t mixing up commonly confused words!

Fill in the Blank

The players ___ taking the field for tonight's big game.

Fill in the Blank

Will you be riding ___ bus this afternoon?

Fill in the Blank

When will we receive ___ grades on the project?