Punctuation 3.

7 Apostrophe
How should I use the apostrophe? The following guidelines should help you make sure you are using it correctly. Use the apostrophe to form the possessive of nouns and pronouns. Rules for forming the possessive:
heroine heroine James' novels the boss' car Dickens'

If the noun is singular, add 's (apostrophe s).

Examples: dog's bone woman's coat teacher's book

If the noun is singular and ends in "s," you may form the possessive either by adding apostrophe s or by simply adding the apostrophe.
Examples: James's novels the boss's car Dickens's

The exceptions to this flexible rule are Jesus, Moses, and Zeus, which traditionally form the possessive with just the apostrophe:
Jesus' teaching Moses' commandments Zeus' power

Also, Socrates and Xerxes, should be formed with an apostrophe only.

If the noun is plural (and does not end in "s"), add apostrophe s.
toys Examples: women's coats people's court children's

If the noun is plural and ends in "s," add an apostrophe only.

Examples: clothes students' books dogs' bones babies'

Pronouns ending in "-one" or "-body" also form the possessive with an apostrophe s.
Examples: someone's coat anybody's idea

The possessive of pronouns combined with "else" is formed by adding apostrophe s to "else".
Examples: someone else's coat anybody else's idea

In phrases using the pronoun "other," form the possessive by following the general rule for nouns. Form the singular possessive with apostrophe s and the plural with an apostrophe.
Examples: each other's letters one another's houses

the others' reports [the reports of the others]

Use the apostrophe in phrases of time or measurement.

Examples: seven o'clock

a month's leave

my money's worth

Use the apostrophe to indicate the omission of numbers in dates.

Examples: the summer of '42

the '88 Olympics

Use the apostrophe to indicate the omission of letters in a contraction.

Examples: I have read it He has gone She will not leave English Department I've read it He's gone She won't leave English Dep't

Misuses of the Apostrophe 1. Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural.

2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12. 13. 14. 15. go now. WRONG: RIGHT: hamburger's for sale hamburgers for sale three cat's in the house three cats in the house

6. Do not use an apostrophe with the possessive forms of personal pronouns.

WRONG: RIGHT: Is this book your's? Is this book yours? That car is their's. That car is theirs.

11. Do not confuse "its" (possessive pronoun) with "it's" (contraction of it is).
go now. WRONG: RIGHT: That book has lost it's cover. That book has lost its cover. Its too late to It's too late to

Similarly, do not confuse the possessive pronoun "whose" with the contraction "who's" (contraction of who is).
WRONG: RIGHT: Who's coat is this? Whose coat is this? Whose going to the movie? Who's going to the movie?