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Apostrophe confusion - please help me pedants!

18 replies

BroccoliSpears · 23/03/2008 23:03

"... and let you know it's on its way."

"...and let you know it's on it's way."

??

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collision · 23/03/2008 23:03

2nd one I think

it's way.

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jura · 23/03/2008 23:03

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FriedGreenTomatoes · 23/03/2008 23:04

the first one

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cornsilk · 23/03/2008 23:04

It's been posted!

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avenanap · 23/03/2008 23:04

The second one would be "...and let you know it is on it is way.", so I think the first one is correct. It's is short for it is.

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Janni · 23/03/2008 23:04

definitely number one

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LyraSilvertongue · 23/03/2008 23:05

The first is correct.
And let you know it is on its way.
Its has no possessive apostrophe. But the apostrophe in the first "it's' signifies the missing I in it is.
Does that make sense?

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collision · 23/03/2008 23:06

Which is why I never post on this bit!!!

LOL.

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jura · 23/03/2008 23:06

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BroccoliSpears · 23/03/2008 23:07

Why does the way not belong to it?

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LyraSilvertongue · 23/03/2008 23:11

Because 'it' cannot possess in the same way that he or she can.

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BroccoliSpears · 23/03/2008 23:17

Thank you all, and especially for the explanations as to why it is the first one.

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MegBusset · 23/03/2008 23:28

It is the first one (of course) but I think Lyra's explanation is not quite clear.

It has nothing to do with 'it' not possessing like 'he' or 'she'.

None of the personal pronouns take apostrophes for possessives -- we say mine, yours, his, hers, its.

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jura · 23/03/2008 23:38

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LyraSilvertongue · 23/03/2008 23:39

This will explain it
My explanation was not quite clear as Megbusset said, but I have had 3 glasses of wine.

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MegBusset · 24/03/2008 09:00

Jura

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BroccoliSpears · 24/03/2008 09:57

Well I have learned something.

It's is only ever a contraction of it is or it has.

Thank you for the link and for putting me straight.

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RoxyNotFoxy · 24/03/2008 11:19

The same applies to that, what, where, when, how, who.

That's the way (That is)
What's the story? (What is)
Where's my pen? (Where is)
When's the concert? (When is)
How's it going? (How is)
Who's the daddy? (Who is)

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