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The first thing to understand about using apostrophes is that they should never be used to form plural words. This is grammatically incorrect, though unfortunately common. An apostrophe is commonly, but erroneously, used in numbers such as calendar decades or centuries instead of using the correct form, e.g. 1800s or the 1970s.

Apostrophes should only be used for possessive nouns (but not pronouns), e.g. the cat's food dish; Roger's BMW. They are not used in possessive pronouns, e.g. yours, ours, theirs, its.

They are also used for omissions in contractions, e.g. it's meaning it is (note the difference in how its is used in the previous sentence) or can't meaning cannot.

In some situations it is acceptable to use an apostrophe to clarify a plural. For example, "Make sure you dot all the i's and cross all the t's". This, however, is not an established rule.

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11y ago

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Related Questions

What are the correct usages of apostrophes?

Only use apostrophes in contractions, and to show possession


Can you play a word with an apostrophe in scrabble?

No, it's against the rules and there is no apostrophes tiles. And you can't use a blank as an apostrophes!


Does the spanish language have apostrophes?

While the Spanish language does not typically use apostrophes in the same way as English, it does use accent marks for emphasis, such as in the word "qué" to differentiate it from "que." Apostrophes can also be used in contractions, but they are less common.


What apostrophes use for?

to indicate possession , to short words,


When should you use apostrophes?

In possessive nouns and contractions.


Does apostrophes have an apostrophe?

The word apostrophe forms a normal plural as apostrophes.The possessive forms would be:apostrophe's (singular) - "The apostrophe's use in contractions is fairly standardized."apostrophes' (plural) - "The apostrophes' positions are wrong in some of his words."


Which words in English have Apostrophes?

Apostrophes are commonly used in English for contractions and possessives. For example, contractions like "don't" (do not) and "it's" (it is) use apostrophes to indicate omitted letters. In possessive forms, such as "John's book" or "the cat's toy," apostrophes show ownership. Additionally, in some cases, apostrophes can be used to form plurals of letters or symbols, like "mind your p's and q's."


Use apostrophes - they have?

Apostrophes are punctuation marks used to indicate possession or contraction. For example, "Mary's book" shows possession, while "can't" is a contraction of "cannot." It's important to use apostrophes correctly to avoid confusion in writing.


Why are apostrophes important?

Apostrophes are important because they clarify meaning by indicating possession and forming contractions. For example, "the dog's leash" shows that the leash belongs to the dog, while "it's" represents "it is." Without apostrophes, sentences can become ambiguous, leading to misunderstandings. Proper use of apostrophes enhances clarity and professionalism in writing.


How do I use apostrophe's correctly when there are two persons.?

You don't. Apostrophes aren't use to make words plural. The plural of person is people. (One person, two people.) You don't need the apostrophe in apostrophes either.


Do possessive case pronouns always use apostrophes?

No, possessive case pronouns do not use an apostrophe.possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.possessive adjectives: my, your, our, his, her, their, its.Examples:The house on the corner is mine.My house is on the corner.


Pronouns use apostrophes to indicate possession?

No. Special subtypes of pronouns (called "possessive pronouns") are used to indicate possession. These pronouns (his, hers, theirs, its, mine, yours, whose, ours) do NOT use apostrophes. This is a frequent mistake for the word "it's". IT'S (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of "it is". The possessive pronoun "its" does NOT use an apostrophe.