Anthology of Ideas

The apostrophe is one of the easiest punctuation marks to use–assuming that is, that people care enough about their feelings as to not misuse and abuse them.

The Basics:

The apostrophe has three valid uses:

1. They show possession or ownership
   • John’s apple
   • Class’s books
2. They indicate omitted letters and words.
   • It’s (it is)
   • Ya’ll (You all)
3. They indicate the plurals of numbers, abbreviations, letters and words.
   • 1990’s
   • Ph.D’s
   • f’s

Beyond the basics

Below are sentences that one may find in normal writing, and not all of the apostrophes are used correctly. Try to find these errors before reading the explanations.

1. That’s quite the opposite of what my good friends the Thompson’s say.
2. In the 1990s, movie studio’s realized that people will be far more likely to read a movies’ credits if they add extra things like bloopers at the end.
3. The things’ one does to get one’s own way.
4. The teachers were so mad about the students’ behavior that they gave every one of them Fs.
5. I run to the store on Tuesday’s, but on Monday’s I stay home and bake cookies for my dog’s friends

1) Incorrect:That’s quite the opposite of what my good friends the Thompson’s say.

That’s is a contraction of that is, so because the sentence makes sense with “that is” we can assume a contraction is what the author intended. However, the author also says “Thompson’s”. Since the author is not saying that the Thompson family owns or possess something then this is a poor, miss-used apostrophe. We should set it free by releasing it into the wild which leaves us with a nice correct sentence:

Correct: That’s quite the opposite of what my good friends the Thompsons say.

2)Incorrect: In the 1990s, movie studio’s realized that people will be far more likely to read a movies’ credits if they add extra things like bloopers at the end.

The first error is “1990s” as said above the plurals of numbers require an apostrophe. Unless the realized belonged to the studio the apostrophe in “movie’s” is wrong; however, since we are talking about the credits that belong to the movies the apostrophe in movies’ is correct, and because movies already ends in an s and an extra ‘s would add another syllable we add the apostrophe after the word movies without an s.

Correct: In the 1990’s, movie studios realized that people will be far more likely to read a movies’ credits if they add extra things like bloopers at the end.

3)Incorrect:The things’ one does to get one’s own way.

The apostrophe in things is incorrect but the apostrophe in one’s is correct.

Correct:The things one does to get one’s own way.

5)Incorrect:The teachers were so mad about the students’ behavior that they gave every one of them Fs

Again as with movies it is appropriate to add the apostrophe after the s to avoid another syllable. As for “Fs” as said above the plural of letters, numbers and words has an apostrophe.

Correct:The teachers were so mad about the students’ behavior that they gave every one of them F’s

4)Incorrect: I run to the store on Tuesday’s, but on Monday’s I stay home and bake cookies for my dog’s friends

Tuesday’s but and Monday’s I? I’m sure they have nice butts and eyes, but I don’t think that is the what the sentence is trying to say: get rid of the apostrophes. “Dog’s” is appropriate, but I thing this persons needs a life is their dog’s friends are the most important thing they have to bake cookies for. Bonus points if you noticed the missing period.

Correct: I run to the store on Tuesdays, but on Mondays I stay home and bake cookies for my dog’s friends.