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Punctuationmadesimple.com: The Apostrophe

APOSTROPHE (')

An apostrophe is the same symbol as a closing single quote.

BASICS

1. Apostrophes are used in contractions (combining two words as exemplified below)

It's (it is), don't (do not), can't (cannot), won't (will not), she'd (she would or she had), etc.

2. Apostrophes can stand in the place of omitted numbers, as exemplified below.

the class of '88

Note: if you are using "smart quotes," the bottom of the quote should curl forward. Sometimes, with modern word processors, it is necessary to type a letter, then the apostrophe, then the desired number to generate the correct symbol. Then delete the letter.)

3.Apostrophes function in the same way regarding omitted letters (particularly slang).

Hey billy, don't kill 'em.

Singin' in the rain

4. Apostrophes are sometimes used to pluralize letters and words as per below.

How many I's are there in Mississippi?

I am telling you the do's and don't's of punctuation.

BEYOND THE BASICS

5. Apostrophes are used to show possession (gosh, this can be annoying when used incorrectly!!)

Note: we're getting into a notoriously sticky subject here. I'll first explain possession in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style. Then I'll describe an alternative. Which is correct? That depends on your editor. Neither is "wrong," but your editor may prefer one over the other. But as long as you are consistent,

neither style is incorrect.

*Proper nouns (singular): to show possession, add "'s"

Rob's book

Kevin James's car

Marx's theory

My aunt and uncle's car. (Notice that only the last element of a noun unit takes the possessive case.)

The resident assistant's rules. (With compound nouns, the last element takes the possessive case.)

Baby's bed (one baby)

Horse's pasture (one horse)

John Smith's house

Dickens's manuscripts

*Proper nouns (plural): to show possession, add only an apostrophe (no "s").

Babies' beds. (multiple babies, multiple beds)

The horses' pasture (multiple horses)

The Smiths' house. (The families house)

Exceptions to above "Proper Nouns Singular" (or when to leave off the final "s"):

1."When the singular form of a noun ending in "s" looks like a plural and the plural form is the same as the singular, the possessive of both singular and plural is formed by the addition of an apostrophe only."~Chicago Manual of Style

politics' meaning

economics' forerunners

Note: Although the above examples are correct, the better solution is to recast the sentence using of.

meaning of politics

forerunners of economics

2. Add an apostrophe only (no s) when the last element of a name is a plural form ending in "s."

Rolling Hills' residents (meaning: the residents of Rolling Hills)

the United States' role in Iraq

3. Names of two or more syllables that end in an eez sound, leave off the final "s."

Euripides' tragedies

the Ganges' source

4. Names or words ending in a silent "s." (leave off the final s)

the marquis' mother

Albert Camus' novels

Double possessives

a car of Rob's (In this case, Rob has more than one car)

a friend of Kevin's (Kevin has more than one friend)

Idiomatic expressions/Genitive case

For goodness' sake

hard day's night

a year's wage

heart's desire

a week's worth

an hour's delay

five days' leave

Quick and Dirty Approach:

If you don't want to get bogged down in all the rules, there is another acceptable option.

Please note: this does not conform strictly to Chicago Manual of Style, but it is not technically incorrect.

If the singular noun (before being possessive) ends in "s" then only add an apostrophe (leave off the final "s"), otherwise, add "'s."

(Of course, if the noun is plural, you never add the "s.")

Tom Jenkins' (the house of Tom Jenkins)

Dylan Thomas' poetry

Syntax

The only syntactic concern is the auto-format of "smart quotes." Be sure the single quote curls forward at the bottom. This will be an issue in words that begin with an apostrophe: 'em (them), 'er (her), etc. The trick (for most word processors) is to type a place-holding letter, then the quote, then the word, then go back and delete the placeholder.

Usage Key

Take a moment and consider if the word is singular or plural before making it possessive.

baby's vs babies'

horse's vs horses'

Imprecise Use

Inanimate objects, unless being anthropomorphized (given human traits), should not be used in the possessive case. Not all editors strictly adhere to this, but it is generally a good stylistic practice.

<wrong> The house's roof.

[correct] The roof of the house.

Misuse

"It's" is a contraction of "it is." "Its" is a possessive pronoun (like his or hers).

It's a cold day. (It is a cold day.)

The horse had its saddle on. (possessive: the saddle of the horse)