Apostrophes Showing Possession

An apostrophe is normally used with the letter s to show ownership or possession.

With most singular nouns, simply add an apostrophe plus the letter s to do this.

An apostrophe plus s is never added to make a noun plural--even a proper noun.

Incorrect: This is Joans jacket.

(Possessive form needs the apostrophe)

Correct: This is Joan's jacket.

Incorrect: He ate four hot dog's at the picnic.

(Not possessive; use no apostrophe to make a noun plural.)

Correct: He ate four hot dogs at the picnic.

Incorrect: We saw the Smith's at the picnic.

(Not possessive; use no apostrophe to make a name plural.)

Correct: We saw the Smiths at the picnic.

If the singular noun ends with an s, add apostrophe s if the extra syllable is pronounced. If the
extra syllable is not pronounced (or if it otherwise looks confusing to add apostrophe s), simply
add an apostrophe.

Examples: the dress's hem

(Added syllable is pronounced.)

Lloyd Bridges' son

(Added syllable is not pronounced.)

Some authorities always add an apostrophe only to any word ending with s, regardless of its
pronunciation. This is acceptable. Whichever standard you follow, be consistent.

Example: the dress' hem

(Word ends in s, pronunciation does not matter.)

Plural Possessives

To make most nouns plural, add an -s or -es. The -es is added to words that end in
an s or z sound.

Do not use an apostrophe.

Examples: lands dresses taxes quizzes

Incorrect: Twenty dog's were in the pack.

Correct: Twenty dogs were in the pack.

To make a plural noun possessive, simply add an apostrophe to the word. If the plural does not
end in an s, then add an apostrophe plus s.

Examples: The girls' dresses

(The dresses belonging to the girls.)

The Wilsons' house

(The Wilsons live in the house.)

The men's room

(Plural does not end in s.)

Apostrophes with Possessives of More than One Owner

To show that more than one person share the same item together, make only the last owner in the
series possessive.

Examples: Ken and Larry's ice cream

(They share the same ice cream.)

John and Mary's pet cats

(They share the same cats.)

To show that there are similar items which are owned individually by different owners, make
each owner in the series possessive.

Example: John's and Mary's pet cats.

(They each have their own pet cat or cats.)

Apostrophes with Italicized or Underlined Items

Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as themselves are italicized or underlined.
See Underlining or Italicizing Items that Name Themselves for more on this.
When these items are made plural, the plural is shown by adding apostrophe s to the underlined
or italicized item. The apostrophe and s are not italicized or underlined.

Some authorities make acronyms or abbreviations plural by adding apostrophe s. Not all
authorities recognize this rule.

Other authorities make a date that names itself plural by adding apostrophe s. Not all authorities
recognize this rule.

These three instances are the only times in English when adding an apostrophe plus s makes
something plural.

Since not all authorities recognize the last two instances, whether you choose to add an s or to
add an apostrophe s, be consistent.

Examples: Don't forget to dot your i's.

(Letter as a letter)

His 7's look like 2's.

(Number as number)

His &'s look like 8's.

(Symbol as symbol)

I find the thee's and thou's in older writing hard to follow.

(Words as words)

Recognized by some authorities: He has IRA's in several different banks.

(Plural of acronym or abbreviation)

The 1930's were called the Red Decade.

(Plural of year naming itself)

Recognized more widely or traditionally: He has IRAs in several different banks.

(Plural of acronym or abbreviation)

The 1930s were called the Red Decade.

(Plural of year naming itself)

Apostrophes with Verb Contractions

Apostrophes generally show missing letters in contractions.

In most formal writing such contractions should be avoided.

The most common contractions involve verbs in five situations.

1. Verbs with not contracted, or shortened.

Examples: aren't don't isn't wasn't can't weren't weren't wouldn't doesn't hasn't
haven't couldn't
Note: The word won't is a contraction of will not--in older dialects will was often spelled with
an o. The word shan't for shall not is seldom used in the United States. The word ain't is
considered nonstandard.

2. Pronouns with will.

Examples: I'll you'll he'll she'll they'll

Note: In conversation the word will is often slurred and may show up in dialogue as 'll after
most nouns, e.g., "John'll come home soon."

3. Pronouns and nouns with the verb to be.

Examples: I'm you're who's (i.e., who is) he's she's it's we're they're
Note: In conversation the word is is often contracted with nouns, e.g. "Martha's here." See
also Other Contractions.

Please note four confusing contractions:

who's it's you're they're

Remember, the apostrophe indicates that letters have been left out.
who's = who is or who has you're = you are it's = it is or it has they're = they are
The possessive of who is whose.
Correct: Who's coming with me? (Contraction)

Correct: Whose book is this? (Possessive)

4. Pronouns with the verb to have.

Examples: I've he's you've we've they've

(Note that the 's could stand for is or has.)

See below for the contractions with had.

Note: Sometimes the word have is slurred, especially after verbs like would,
could, and should. In dialogue this can be shown as 've, but never as of.

Incorrect: We would of like to have gone.

Correct: We would've liked to have gone.

(To show contraction in speaking)
Correct: We would have liked to have gone.
(In more formal writing)

5. Pronouns with would or had contracted.

Examples: I'd he'd she'd you'd we'd they'd

I'd better go.

(I had better go.)

He'd want to go.

(He would want to go.)

In everyday conversation the word would is often slurred and may be shown as 'd following a
noun in dialogue, e.g. "John'd be upset if he found out."

Apostrophes with Other Contractions

When writing about years, insert an apostrophe where numbers are dropped.

Examples: The winter of '65 the '96 Olympics

In a few words and some names, o', d', l', and t' indicate abbreviated forms of the or of in
various languages.

Examples: o'clock L'Enfant Plaza P.J. O'Rourke

Sometimes to show pronunciation in dialogue, the word is contracted to show missing letters.
Avoid this in formal writing except in quotations, even when the contraction is a more accurate
representation.

Examples: C'mon for "come on"

L'il Abner for "Little Abner"

fo'c's'le or fo'csle for "forecastle"

gun'le for "gunwale"

Even though forecastle sounds like "folks'll," and gunwale rhymes with "funnel," these words
should not be contracted except in dialogue.