Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEThe apostrophe has only a handful of uses, but these uses are very important. A misplaced apostrophe can be annoying not to mention lonely.1. to create possessives2. to show contractions3. to create some plural formsThe apostrophe is used: Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEThe apostrophe is used to create possessive forms for singular and plural nouns, especially nouns referring to people.the mayors car, my fathers moustachePedritos sister, Joe Kennedys habits Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEWhen a noun already ends in “s,” you can decide whether or not to use another “s” after the apostrophe.Charless car OR Charles carDumas second novel, Jesus birth, Socrates ideas, Illinois legislature With multisyllabic words, dont add another “s” after the apostrophe. Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHETo form the possessive of an inanimate object, were usually better off using an “of phrase,” but the apostrophe possessive is not impossible, especially with expressions of time and in personifications.The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd a years salary, my hearts desire, your dollars worth, the papers conclusion Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHETo form the possessive of a plural noun, we pluralize first and then add the apostrophe.The Kennedys houseThe childrens playhouseThe travelers expectationsNotice that with an irregular plural, the apostrophe will come before the “s.” Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEA contraction allows us to blend sounds by omitting letters from a verb construction. The apostrophe shows where something is left out.I am a student here = Im a student here.I have been working on the railroad. = Ive been working on the railroad.They could have been great together. = They couldve been great together. Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEMore contraction examples:Let us go. = Lets go.Who is there? = Whos there?It is Dierdre. = Its Dierdre.REMINDER: Its is a contraction for “it is”; the possessive of it = its (no apostrophe). Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEThe apostrophe is also used to form the plural of digits and letters . . . The word Mississippi has four ss.She got three As and two Bs last semester.She dotted all her is very carefully. . . and to indicate omission of a number in a date:summer of 99; class of 38 Capital Community CollegeTHE MIGHTY APOSTROPHEThe mighty apostrophe doesnt mind being used, but it wants to be used wisely.Use it well and it will be there whenever you need it!You can now review the apostrophe and the other marks of punctuation in the Guide to Grammar and Writing. Capital Community CollegeThis PowerPoint presentation was created by Charles Darling, PhDProfessor of English and WebmasterCapital Community CollegeHartford, Connecticutcopyright November 1999