Apostrophe

Non Traditional Snow-Day Lesson

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Apostrophe
There are two different uses of the
apostrophe.
Use the apostrophe with a contraction, a
shortened form of a word.
Use the apostrophe to show ownership or
possession.
A cowboys outfit cant help but
stand out in a crowd.
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Contractions
When two words are combined to make
one word, an apostrophe is used to show
where letters have been omitted. This is
called a contraction.
Contractions are reserved for informal
occasions.
I + have = Ive
did + not = didnt
let + us = lets
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Contractions
Note:
The word its
has two meanings.
It is
OR
It has

It`s too late to watch a

cowboy movie.
(It is too late.)
It`s been years since
cowboy songs were
popular.
(It has been years.)

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Understanding Contractions
You MUST put the apostrophe where the
letters are missing.
INCORRECT:
Cowboys dont ride on the same type of saddles
as your cousin does.

Correct:
Cowboys dont ride on the same type of saddles
as your cousin does.
The apostrophe shows the o has been left out.
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Special Situation
The combination will + not

= wont
This is an unusual
contraction.

Many mothers wont let their sons become cowboys.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Four Special Contractions

Dont confuse certain tricky
contractions with similar sounding
possessive words!

Contractions

Possessive Words

theyre= they are

their=belonging to them

its=it is or it has

its=belonging to it

youre=you are

your=belonging to you

whos=who is

whose=belonging to whom

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Singular Nouns
Use the apostrophe and an - s to form the
possessive case.
A cowboys work is never done.
Frederic Remingtons art reflected
the spirit of the wild west.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Singular Nouns
For singular nouns ending in -s, it is
acceptable to form the possessive by
adding -s or by adding only an
apostrophe. The writer must be
consistent throughout a piece of writing.
Columbus horses, which he brought
on his second voyage, were the first to
arrive in the new world.
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Plural Nouns
Form the possessive of plural nouns by
adding an apostrophe.
The wranglers gloves protected their hands
from rope burns, cutting reins, and cold.

Indicate the possessive of plural nouns

not ending in -s by adding an apostrophe
and an -s.
Mens clothing often indicates their
profession.
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Do Not Use The Apostrophe

Personal pronouns and possessive
adjectives do not use apostrophes.
We can recognize an Appaloosa by its
distinct spots.
The spurs are ours.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Special Case 1: Dates

You can shorten numbers in a date by
adding an apostrophe in the appropriate
spot.
When talking about 2009, it might be
easier to simply say 09.
You are the Class of 16.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Apostrophe

Special Case 2: Symbols

In order to pluralize letters and numbers,
you add an and an s.
She got three As and four Bs.
The address has three 8s in it.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.