In Plain English please - when is it correct to use an apostrophe?

[MascaraOHara]

I know I'm a bit silly but I've always wondered if I get it right and I dare not ask anyone in RL but sometimes when I see "...Oh and that rogue apostrophe" (or something similar) and I look at the poor old rogue apostrophe thinking quietly to myself but how do I know you're a rogue(?)

I obviously missed a very important lesson when I was in primary school.

Thank you please don't tut at my stupidity.

' generally replaces a letter or word

eg
it's
Hallowe'en

or to show belongs to
Tracey's hat
Susie's bag
Joss' ball (I think - I get lost here a bit)

......maybe?

but the rogue one is one where it shouldn't be

like
asparagus's

Well, one starter rule is that an apostrophe indicates where a letter (or letters) has (or have) been omitted.

Hence the apostrophe in "can't". And "you're" - the apostrophe is the omission of "a" from "you are".

"It's" = omission of "i" from "it is".

No apostrophe where no letter omitted - so no apostrophe in "your" (as in "belonging to you") as nothing's been omitted. Similarly, "its" (meaning "belonging to it").

[I have probably cross-posted with many clearer explanations.]

here

The general rule of using an apostrophe to either replace a letter (Hallowe'en) or to show possession (John's bag) is the best way to remember it. However, it doesn't (' used to show missed letter) work with its / it's

its = belonging to it
it's = it is.

The worst rogue apostrophes are those that are bunged in any time there's an -s at the end of a word:
banana's - you think - banana's whats?

and when there is more than one owner it's after the s. eg. Old Wives' Tales,

sorry x posted with just about everybody!

Sorry I get that bit it's where it starts getting confusing around ownership and plurals etc...??? or am I talking rubbish?

I have to write documents that are seen by quite senior people and I always worry that my apostrophes are wrong.

thank you for those last few I think that clears it up.. I'll go and have a think and come back with some examples if that's OK. you can mark me.

are you sure you want us too?

Ownership & plurals:

singular word: apostrophe before the s - "the boy's book"

plural word ending in s: apostrophe after the s - "the old wives' tale"

plural word NOT ending in s: apostrophe before the s - "the children's tea"

Special case: proper noun ending in s: subject of debate but the more accepted way is apostrophe before the s - "James's book"

useful?

I think it would be best if it was banned - just scrap it! We all know there is a leter missing or something belongs to somebody, so just wave it bye bye.

Oh yes Bink. Thank you! I think I'd like a 'Pocket Bink'

So "the boy's book's" would be multiple boys with more than one book? or would I lose an apostrophe?

Well in that case would it be

the boys book (one boy) or
the boys book (three boys sharing 1 book)?

The boy's books would be one boy's books; the boys' books would be plural. No apostrophe in books because they is no missing word and they don't own anything.

You could have "the boy's book's pages" though, I guess

Apologies for garbled post - no apostrophe in "books" because there is no missing letter and the books don't own anything...

So the apostrophe goes on the owner..

The boy's car = the car belonging to the boy
The boy's cars = more than 1 boy and their cars?
The boys car's have seats = the boys have more than one car and the car's have seats?

mascara - the best thing to do is to remember that an apostrophe doesn't show a plural - at all...

boys = more than one boy
boy's = thing belonging to a boy
boys' thing belonging to more than one boy.

The rogue apostrophe is the one used where it's just a plural

so ... boy's car's will be wrong whatever

if you have boy's car's seats - it means the seats (in the car) belonging to the boy.

The boy's car = the car belonging to the boy
yes
The boy's cars = more than 1 boy and their cars?
one boy, more than one car

The boys car's have seats = the boys have more than one car and the car's have seats?
needs to be:

the boy's cars have seats - (one boy, more than one car, more than one seat)

or:
the boys' cars have seats - (more than one boy, more than one car (belonging to the boys), more than one seat)

The reason that "the cars" don't have an apostrophe is because they are the subject of the verb "have". So instead of using the "shorthand" of the apostrophe to show ownership, you are using a verb to show ownership.

So "the cars have seats which are blue" or the "car's seats are blue". Does that help or confuse even more?!?!?

mumpbump - I think she's run away!

The way I think of it is that where you would say

"the seats of the car are blue" you can shorten it using an apostrophe to "the car's seats are blue"

Maybe a bit better?

And who could blame her!!

I am usually quite good with them (although I did get slated once in a thread title when I put one in by mistake). The only thing I'mnot sure of is what happens if the 'owner' has a double s at the end of his name. My husband is called Ross so am I Ross' wife or Ross's wife?