Using Apostrophes Why are apostrophes important? Possessive case Singular nouns and plural nouns Possessive personal pronouns Indefinite pronouns Contractions.

Using Apostrophes

Why are apostrophes important?

Possessive case

Singular nouns and plural nouns

Possessive personal pronouns

Indefinite pronouns

Contractions

Plurals

Review A

Review B

The main job of the apostrophe is to show ownership—or possession.

Why are apostrophes important?

The apostrophe has several jobs to do.

Is this Harry’s jacket?

Are these the dog’s treats?

The apostrophe also shows where letters are missing in contractions.

Sometimes, in special situations, the apostrophe is used to form plurals.

Why are apostrophes important?

you will you’ll

His o’s look like a’s.

Add an apostrophe and an s to form the possessive case of most singular nouns.

Possessive caseSingular nouns and plural nouns

Singular nouns

the squirrel’s tail

the boy’s teddy bear

Tess’s phone

To form the possessive case of a plural noun ending in s, just add an apostrophe.

Possessive caseSingular nouns and plural nouns

Plural nouns

the elephants’ trunks

the Carsons’ kitchen

Some irregular plural nouns do not end in s. Add an apostrophe and an s to form the possessive case.

Possessive caseSingular nouns and plural nouns

Plural nouns

woman women women’s

teeth’s teeth tooth

Plural Possessive

PluralSingular

For each sentence, write the possessive case of the word in parentheses.

1. __________ twin sisters both play soccer. (Jeff)

2. The _________ cage was left open. (birds)

3. The __________ sails were torn and dirty. (boat)

4. We could see the _________ tracks in the snow. (mice)

5. Is that the __________ dog over by the tree? (Smiths)

On Your Own

Possessive caseSingular nouns and plural nouns

A possessive personal pronoun never has an apostrophe—even when the pronoun ends in s.

Possessive casePossessive personal pronouns

Where is your backpack?

Sherry lost hers yesterday.

My backpack is in my locker.

Possessive caseIndefinite pronouns

In the possessive case, indefinite pronouns need an apostrophe and an s.

I found someone’s soccer ball.

Is anyone’s uniform still clean?

Possessive case

For each sentence, write the possessive case of the word in parentheses.

1. _____________ project must be finished by Wednesday. (Everybody)

2. Can we meet at __________ house tomorrow after school? (you)

3. Helen found __________ sunglasses in the locker room. (somebody)

4. Ray rode __________ new bike all day long. (him)

On Your Own

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An apostrophe shows where letters, words, or numerals have been left out in a contraction.

Contractions

let us let’s

they have

o’clock

they’ve

of the clock

1999 ’99

here is here’s

Contractions

The word not can be shortened to n’t and added to a verb. The spelling of the verb usually doesn’t change.

The two exceptions to this rule are

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are not

could not

aren’t

couldn’t

will not

cannot

won’t

can’t

Plurals

To prevent confusion, use an apostrophe to form the plurals of certain types of nouns.

Letters The word hidden has two d’s.

Numerals Your 1’s and 7’s look alike.

Symbols Write $’s before all the amounts.

Words referred to as words

She uses too many so’s and and’s in her writing.

Contractions and plurals

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For each sentence, supply the correct form as indicated in parentheses.

1. How many ________ are in the word Mississippi? (plural of the letter p)

2. Your essay contains too many ________ . (plural of the word very)

3. I was going to go for a walk, but ________ snowing right now. (contraction of it is)

4. Jamal ________ go to the movies with us. (contraction of did not)

On Your Own

Review A

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In the following sentences, circle any words that need apostrophes or have incorrect apostrophes.

1. Kim wasnt sure whos hat it was.

2. That trees trunk is at least two feet thick.

3. Is the vase on the table their’s or our’s?

4. The monkeys tail was wrapped around a branch.

5. The Patterson’s yard looks beautiful, doesnt it?

6. Im going to feed their’ cat over the weekend.

Review B

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Add apostrophes as needed in the following sentences.

1. Please dont use &s in your essays for school.

2. Jane cant fix his bike tonight; she has to fix hers first.

3. Everyones face lit up when our team made a goal.

4. Meet us at Randys house, and well help you study.

5. Doesnt Mr. Serrano usually pack the girls lunches?

6. Dad told me to stop giving him maybes as answers.

The End