■The Apostrophe for Contractions
Use the apostrophe in a contraction to show that letters have been left out.
She doesn't type. (Doesn't is a contraction of does and not)
I’ll buy that coat if it goes on sale. (I'll is a contraction of I and will)
Be especially careful in writing contractions that contain pronouns, such as:
let + us = let's they + are = they’re
you + have = you've we + are = we're
it + is or has= it's who + is or has = who's
■Misuses of the Apostrophe
Never use an apostrophe with an ordinary plural.
Two cats are in the yard. Those exams were easy!
Never use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun such as his, hers, its, theirs, or ours.
The book is hers. The dog scratched its back.
■Practice
Add, move, or remove apostrophes and -s wherever necessary.
1. A weeks' vacation in Paris is just what you need.
2. Those orchids color is very unusual.
3. Apparently, nobodys read todays horoscope's.
4. My countries most important crop is pineapples.
5. Please hang the twins coats on the wall hook's.
6. Once a month, the board of directors discusses' the workers suggestions.
7. Ulysses travels make for fascinating reading.
8. Somebodys wedding and engagement ring’s were left on the sink.
9. These must be Charles kid's, but who’s son is that?
10. Its a sad day when a dog cant play with its own toys.
■Answers
1. week’s 6. directors, discusses, workers’, suggestions
2. orchids’ 7. Ulysses’s, travels
3. nobody’s, horoscopes 8. Somebody’s, rings
4. country’s, pineapples 9. Charles’s, kids, whose
5. twins’, coats, hooks 10. It’s, can’t, its, toys