phrase run its course, where does apostrophe go

by Dr. Jamel Simonis 7 min read

Steps 1 to 5 are our most basic and important rules of possessive apostrophes. The apostrophe goes before the s if it’s one person who is the owner or member of something; and the apostrophe goes after the s if it’s multiple people who are the owners or members of something. Easy, right!? 6.

Full Answer

Where do the apostrophes go in this sentence?

When using a singular noun, the apostrophe is used before the s. For example: “The squirrel's nuts were stashed in a hollow tree.” When using a plural noun, the apostrophe goes after the s. For example: “The squirrels' nuts were hidden in several hollow trees throughout the forest.”

How do you use apostrophes in phrases?

Use an apostrophe when showing possession

If the plural of the word is formed by adding an "s" (for example, cats), place the apostrophe after the "s" (see guideline #3 below). If the plural of the word is formed without adding an "s" (for example, children), add apostrophe "s" ('s) as you would to the singular form.
Apr 26, 2022

How do you know if an apostrophe is correct?

Apostrophes are used for two main jobs, showing possession and showing omission . Apostrophes for possession show that a thing belongs to someone or something. For example Anna's book or the school's logo. Apostrophes for omission show where something, usually a letter, has been missed out to create a contraction .

Where does the apostrophe go in plural?

Apostrophe Rules for Possessives
  1. Use an apostrophe +"s" ('s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something.
  2. Use an apostrophe after the "s" (s') at the end of a plural noun to show possession.
  3. If a plural noun doesn't end in "s," add an apostrophe + "s" to create the possessive form.

What are the 5 examples of apostrophe?

Apostrophe Examples
  • Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. ( ...
  • O holy night! ...
  • Then come, sweet death, and rid me of this grief. ( ...
  • O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth. ( ...
  • Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll! ( ...
  • Welcome, O life!
Aug 22, 2017

Where does the apostrophe go UK?

In UK and US English, the apostrophe is used: To indicate the possessive. To indicate missing letters. Sometimes to indicate the structure of unusual words.
...
There's no need for it in:
  1. She got three As in her exams.
  2. All our CDs are perfect.
  3. We sell videos.
  4. I'd like two cappuccinos, please.

Where does the apostrophe go in children's books?

Some plurals don't end in S. They include men, women and children. For these, the rule is to add an apostrophe then an S: men's, women's, children's. But the plural of “kid” does end in S: kids.Sep 15, 2017

Is there an apostrophe in seniors?

The word "senior" is commonly used as a noun (a senior), or an adjective (a senior citizen) without any indication of a possessive. The plural of this word is "seniors" (a group of seniors) and is often used as an adjective (e.g. senior s' housing is purpose-built housing for a group of seniors).

Why don't you put an apostrophe on a word?

Don't add an apostrophe to a word just because the word ends with the letter "s." This is a common mistake, and it is a grammatical howler. (In other words, your readers will think you're a bit dim if you keep doing it.)

What is an apostrophe in a letter?

An apostrophe can be used to replace a letter or letters (e.g., "isn't," "can't"). The new word formed is called a contraction. Contractions are not usually used in formal correspondence. When I was born I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half.

Do you use apostrophes to show plurals?

The first thing to say about this topic is that apostrophes are not normally used to show plurals, and lots of your readers will hate it if you use an apostrophe for this purpose. However, that said, there are times when it helps to use an apostrophe to show a plural. For example: There are two i's in skiing.

What is Smashing Grammar?

Written by the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a comprehensive A-Z glossary of essential grammar terms, a detailed punctuation section, and a chapter on easily confused words. Each entry kicks off with a simple explanation and some basic examples before giving real-life, entertaining examples.

What is the 100% rule?

The 100% Rule: Everything to the left of the apostrophe is the possessor. Write the word as you'd say it (e.g., "dogs kennel"), and then apply this rule. You get dog's for one dog, and dogs' for more than one. This rule works for everything, even the exceptions.

What is an apostrophe in punctuation?

Apostrophe Basics. Apostrophes are punctuation marks used to indicate possession. The placement of an apostrophe depends upon the word you are making possessive. Singular possessive. Make a singular noun possessive by adding an apostrophe and an "s .". Example: Long's theory (2003) suggested...

What is an apostrophe in a sentence?

Apostrophes are punctuation marks used to indicate possession. The placement of an apostrophe depends upon the word you are making possessive. Singular possessive. Make a singular noun possessive by adding an apostrophe and an "s .". Example: Long's theory (2003) suggested...

How to make a singular noun possessive?

Make a singular noun possessive by adding an apostrophe and an "s .". Example: Long's theory (2003) suggested... Note that singular nouns ending in "s" still take an apostrophe and an additional "s" (i.e., Jones's theory). Plural possessive (regular). Make a plural noun possessive by adding an apostrophe.

What does an apostrophe mean?

Apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to something or someone else. To indicate possession with a singular noun, add ’s at the end of the word. This also applies to names and other proper nouns. The car’s windscreen is foggy. Rome’s backstreets are charming.

Do apostrophes end in s?

Possessive apostrophes with plural nouns. Most plural nouns already end in s. In this case, to indicate possession, add only an apostrophe to the end of the word. This also applies to words where the singular and the plural take the same form. The flood destroyed the beavers’ dam.

What does an apostrophe mean in a sentence?

In addition to serving as a marker for possession, apostrophes are also commonly used to indicate omitted characters. For example: can’t (from cannot) it’s (from it has or it is) you’ve (from you have) gov’t (from government) ’70s, (from 1970s) ’bout (from about)

What is an apostrophe used for?

Apostrophes can be used to indicate possessives (for example, “my dad’s recipe.”) Apostrophes can be used to form contractions, where they indicate the omission of characters (for example, “don’t” instead of “do not.”) Apostrophes can also be used to form plurals for abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols in cases where forming a plural in ...

How to indicate possession?

The basic rule is that to indicate possession, add an apostrophe followed by an “s” to the end of the word. The car belonging to the driver = the driver’s car. The sandwich belonging to Lois = Lois’s sandwich. Hats belonging to children = children’s hats.

How to add a possessive apostrophe to a sentence?

In sentences where two individuals own one thing jointly, add the possessive apostrophe to the last noun. If, however, two individuals possess two separate things, add the apostrophe to both nouns. For example:

What are quotation marks used for?

Quotation marks are also used to title short literary works such as poems, short stories, essays, and newspaper and magazine articles . Quotation marks can also be used to show irony or highlight specific words.

What does quoting mean in a book?

Quotation marks indicate words that are spoken by someone who is not the author. Quotation marks are also used to title short literary works such as poems, short stories, essays, and newspaper and magazine articles. Quotation marks can also be used to show irony or highlight specific words.

Do you need quotation marks for multiple paragraphs?

In most cases, quotations that span multiple paragraphs should be set as block quotations, and thus do not require quotation marks. When quotation marks are used for multiple-paragraph quotations, the convention in English is to give opening quotation marks to the first and each subsequent paragraph, using closing quotation marks only for the final paragraph of the quotation.

When do we use apostrophes in writing?

We often use apostrophes when we are writing to show lazy or truncated language use . You might recognize this use of the apostrophe when reading the language of Hagrid in Harry Potter:

How to use apostrophes in a sentence?

Use an apostrophe before the s to indicate ownership. Use an apostrophe before the s to indicate membership. Use an apostrophe after the s to indicate collective ownership. Use an apostrophe after the s to indicate collective membership. Use an apostrophe before the s for irregular plural nouns.

Do apostrophes make plurals?

Do not use apostrophes to make plurals. The biggest apostrophe make is the use of apostrophes for plurals. Apostrophes do not indicate plurality. One girl makes two girls, not two girl’s. One glass makes two glasses, not two glass’s. No, no, no. Apostrophes do not make plurals.

Do apostrophes work when there are many people?

While the above rules work for when a single person owns something, it doesn’t work when there are many people. For example, if we have own mother who has a baby, the rule of having an apostrophe before the s works:

Why are some words irregular?

This means that for some reason our ancestors made unique words to signify ‘many’ of a particular name or object. Here’s some examples:

Why do we use apostrophes in writing?

Even if you're communicating with friends or family, proper use of apostrophes can make written conversations clearer, help you to come across as more professional, and inspire your readers to trust you. This means better grades, job offers, and the respect you deserve.

What to do when you're home from school?

Now that your home from school, it's time to do you're homework, eat you're dinner, and brush you're teeth, and then you can have you're time. Now that you're home from school, it's time to do your homework, eat your dinner and brush your teeth, and then you can have your TV time.

When did CDs become popular?

In the 1990's, CDs rose in popularity among teen's. In the 1990s, CDs rose in popularity among teen's. In the 1990s, CD's rose in popularity among teens. In the 1990s, CDs rose in popularity among teens. Advertisement.

image