Remember, an Apostrophe does NOT mean "LOOK OUT, HERE COMES AN 'S'!"

<--- An example of apostrophes used in two places. In one place the apostrophe is used correctly (to indicate a possessive), in the other place the apostrophe is incorrectly used in a possessive pronoun.

Just tonight, I saw websites and printed texts that had misused apostrophes all over the place.

If a word is PLURAL, it does NOT need an apostrophe.

The dog's and the cat's ran around the yard's. (wrong)

The dogs and the cats ran around the yards. (correct)

If a word is a possessive pronoun, it does NOT need an apostrophe.

This is her table.
This is his table.
This is their table.
This is its table. (no apostrophe needed)

If the word is a plural proper noun, it usually does NOT need an apostrophe.

The Gardners live here.
The Wilkensons live here.
The Prasads live here.
The Tanakas live here.
The Obamas live here.
The Taimanglos live here.
The Gumataotaos live here.

BUT... if the proper noun is POSSESSIVE, it usually requires an apostrophe.

This is the Gardner's house.
This is the Wilkenson's house.
This is the Prasad's house.
This is the Tanaka's house.
This is the Obama's house.
This is the Taimanglo's house.
This is the Gumataotao's house.

Have I beaten this concept to death yet?

For more information, check out my Squidoo lenses on Editing Your Writing and Grammar and Parts of Speech.

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Editorial Pet Peeves... How Do You Use an Apostrophe?

Don't damage the "meachandise". Bad things can happen.


I've been seeing more and more writing by folks who are unclear on the use and purpose of an apostrophe.

Because our schools don't seem to be teaching English grammar and composition any more, I thought that maybe I should help out by discussing this problem here--and providing examples.

The easiest way to remember this is:

it's = it is
its = possessive pronoun (does not need an apostrophe)

they're = they are
their = possessive pronoun (does not need an apostrophe)
there = locational adverb that modifies the "being verb" (does not need an apostrophe)

Obvious personal pronouns that do not need an apostrophe include "his" and "hers" ... the personal pronoun of the same form for a neuter referent is "its" ...

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