When do apostrophes come after the s

Using an apostrophe to show singular possession. Rule 1a. Use the apostrophe to show possession. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the letter s. Rule 1b. Many common nouns end in the letter s lens, cactus, bus , etc. So do a lot of proper nouns Mr.

Jones, Texas, Christmas. There are conflicting policies and theories about how to show possession when writing such nouns. There is no right answer; the best advice is to choose a formula and stay consistent.

Rule 1c. Some writers and editors add only an apostrophe to all nouns ending in s. Note: We sometimes hear that an inanimate object cannot possess, e. Care must be taken to place the apostrophe outside the word in question.

For instance, if talking about a pen belonging to Mr. Hastings, many people would wrongly write Mr. A widely used technique favored for its simplicity is to write the word as we would speak it. For example, since most people saying "Mr. Rule 2. Using an apostrophe to show plural possession. Rule 2a. Regular nouns are nouns that form their plurals by adding either the letter s or es guy, guys; letter, letters; actress, actresses; etc.

To show plural possession, simply put an apostrophe after the s. Rule 2b. Correct: Apostrophes are confusing. Correct: Bill and Ted's guitar If ownership of something is separate, use 's after each owner. Correct: Bill's and Ted's guitars. Rule to Remember If ownership of something is shared, use 's after the second owner; otherwise, use 's after each owner.

Contractions A contraction is one word that is formed by combing two words. The following is a list of common contractions: 'd when contracting would or had he'd 'm when contracting am I'm 's when contracting is or has she's 'll when contracting will I'll 're when contracting are they're 've when contracting have we've n't when negating some helping or linking verbs wasn't, shouldn't Correct: They'll complete the assignment by tomorrow.

Correct: Don't take my car! Numbers and Omissions Numbers can be shortened by adding an apostrophe in place of the omitted number. Correct: the class of '07 Correct: events in the '60s Be careful using abbreviations in formal writing. Rule to Remember Numbers can be shortened by adding an apostrophe in place of the omitted number. Plurals of Letters, Words, Numbers, and Signs An apostrophe and s are also used to form the plural of letters, numbers, signs, and words referring to words.

Correct: The word Mississippi has many s's. 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. The exception to the possessive rule is that pronouns show possession without the use of apostrophes e.

Note: Some grammar textbooks recommend keeping the "s ' s" s apostrophe s or "ss ' s" s s apostrophe s ending for singular words or for names ending in "s" or an "s" sound because this spelling allows for easier pronunciation. It is a common error for people to write "it ' s i t apostrophe s " for possessive when they should write "its.

It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results. Write Clearly: Punctuation. Rules for placing the apostrophe before or after the "s" When the possessor is singular , the apostrophe goes before the "s.

You have a choice that depends on how you yes, you personally say it. When the possessor is plural but doesn't end "s," the apostrophe goes before the "s. Once you've put your possessive apostrophe in place, the letters to the left of the apostrophe should be the possessor spelled perfectly.

Look at the examples above, the possessors are man , ladies , Wales , and men. Ready for the Test?