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Original poster

Help need apostrophe advice

57 replies

peoplepleaser1 · 01/03/2019 22:48

I'm proofing something I've written and need to send before midnight.

I thought I was clear about the correct use of apostrophes but I'm not sure about wether an apostrophise is needed in the 'its' in the following sentence:

A cat's nap is often the highlight of its day.

I want to put it's because the nap belongs to 'it' but then it looks a bit like I'm incorrectly putting in an omission apostrophe for 'it is'.

Can anyone help please?

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 01/03/2019 23:42

I agree with @Heratnumber7 - I hope my post reflected that. excellent.

I think the point is that the cat's tail , not in debate - it is whether its as a possessive should have an apostrophe - I think it is ( as so often in English) not completely a rule just something which needs to be learned.

I did English at university and I until lately had to check the difference between precsribed and proscribed ( fortunately for the general public I am not a doctor [grin )

Holidayshopping · 01/03/2019 23:42

Slightly horrified at how many people seem unaware of this basic rule of punctuation!

@LostInTheColonies it is you who is unaware of the basic rules.

OP it is definitely its with no apostrophe.

PrincessFiorimonde · 01/03/2019 23:44

LostInTheColonies
I'm afraid you are wrong. Your link shows why there's an apostrophe in "cat's"; it says nothing about "its/it's".

As plenty of people have pointed out, possessive "its" never has an apostrophe.

SwedishEdith · 01/03/2019 23:48

lostinthecolonies

Your explanation contradicts WorraLiberty's.

JustHereForThePooStories · 01/03/2019 23:48

Slightly horrified at how many people seem unaware of this basic rule of punctuation!

And I’m slightly mortified for you.

LostInTheColonies · 01/03/2019 23:49

I certainly haven't contradicted myself (and for my sins am unofficial grammar nazi at work; I proof-read company reports & science newsletters).

Its (belonging to it) does not have an apostrophe. This is an exception to the rule of the possessive apostrophe.

It's (meaning 'it is') does need an apostrophe.

You'll have to cancel the cheque yourself Wink

OP - look at the link to the BBC.

Switsy · 01/03/2019 23:51

Slightly horrified at how many people seem unaware of this basic rule of punctuation!

That's given me a chuckle.

ScreamingValenta · 01/03/2019 23:52

Lostinthecolonies 'Contracture' is a medical term. The correct word is contraction.

LostInTheColonies · 01/03/2019 23:53

If you look at the BBC page, it has the same example as the OP. Even the bloody animal is the same!

Certainly not in the least mortified because on this one I am right Grin. And @basilisk's example (see what I did there?) is good.

JustHereForThePooStories · 01/03/2019 23:53

@LostInTheColonies, I think you’re confused, or you’ve misread the OP.

She asked if her sentence should read

  1. “A cat's nap is often the highlight of itsday” Or
  2. A cat's nap is often the highlight of it’s day.

Worry said 2), and you’ve come along to say Worra is correct.

Switsy · 01/03/2019 23:54

Its (belonging to it) does not have an apostrophe. This is an exception to the rule of the possessive apostrophe.

As everyone else has said. Confused

SwedishEdith · 01/03/2019 23:54

Its (belonging to it) does not have an apostrophe. This is an exception to the rule of the possessive apostrophe.

But that's what everyone, apart from Worra, who you said is "on the money", has said.

LostInTheColonies · 01/03/2019 23:55

Ah yes - @poo - I read it as OP asking about the cat (possibly slightly mortifind now Grin

LostInTheColonies · 01/03/2019 23:55

mortified, even Grin

Switsy · 01/03/2019 23:55

Certainly not in the least mortified because on this one I am right

Oh dear.

Where's that Family Fortunes sound effect when you need it?

SwedishEdith · 01/03/2019 23:57

Grin @Lost - in a non-aggressive way. I love a gracious climbdown.

BasiliskStare · 02/03/2019 00:03

also @babdoc - I missed from my very simple example , plurals .Yes Blush

Ah - I may have found my people. But then I did have to go through this a few times with dyslexic DS.

I don't think I am an apostrophe pedant in that I can walk past a sign with an apostrophe instead of just an s on a greengrocer's ( singular) sign , but there is a point at which we don't have many grammatical rules in English so the few we have can be learnable ( I realise learnable is not a word and I have just hoist myself on my own petard - shoot me)
Grin Grin

Mumsymumphy · 02/03/2019 00:14

'Its' is a possessive pronoun, like his, hers, ours, yours. They don't need an apostrophe.

BasiliskStare · 02/03/2019 00:21

@Lostinthecolonies Grin Easy to read a post quickly - and yes I get your point about reading about the cat - I have oft read too quickly - easy to do

It's ( note apostrophe) lovely to see a gracious post as per @swedithedith & yours

I think we may be all on the same page here.

Do you all think this cat of which we speak knows we are gossiping about its tail and its paws.

WorraLiberty · 02/03/2019 01:00

I'm so confused, I think I need to go back to school Blush

BasiliskStare · 02/03/2019 02:47

@WorraLiberty - no I do not think you need to go back to school at all ( unless you would rather - maybe you went to a better school than did I - I would not go back to mine ) & I apologise if I have contributed to confusion.

It's not hugely confusing - just that ( as you rightly said) the cat's nap - i.e. the nap of the cat needs an apostrophe . "its day" referring to the cat's day doesn't have to have one because its is one of those weird things which does not adhere to a rule - so as where you would say e.g. Sarah's birthday , or "the cow's udders" or " Manchester's airport" need an apostrophe to denote the possessive , as others have said e.g. @mumsymumphy & others - as a possessive its is a slight anomaly , like hers , his etc ( as others have said) No apostrophe needed - trouble is two meanings for the same letters.

Its / It's is a tricky little beast , but then we have some of those in English don't we. People tell me German is difficult to learn , but at least there are rules. Once you get a handle on them then all good. ( I know I have gone off at a tangent there. )

Anyway Wine Brew Flowers to @WorraLiberty as I suspect I have bored you to death there . For which I apologise.

MutantDisco · 02/03/2019 03:02

Possessive pronouns do not possess apostrophes.

His
Hers
Its
Theirs
Ours

How2Help · 02/03/2019 04:18

Now that’s sorted (and very helpful it has been) can anyone explain how I work out who’s vs whose? Is who’s only ever who is? What about the cat who’s/whose tail is white?

I’d likd to be good at grammar...

hairygodmother · 02/03/2019 04:56

Strictly for the purposes of pedantry, I'd also like to throw in here that it's is also a contraction for 'it has'. As in 'it's been a long day'.

And don't get me started on people using 's to form plurals ...

IhateBoswell · 02/03/2019 04:58

Who’s is who is/who has (Who’s going to the party/who’s got the keys).
Whose is belonging, so “whose trousers are these?”
Who’s going to the party? Who’s said they’re driving? Whose house is it at?

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