understanding apostrophes
DESCRIPTION
Police officers often have questions about using apostrophes correctly in police reports. Find clear, jargon-free explanations and examples here.TRANSCRIPT
Understanding Apostrophes
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.
English grammar and usage rules can be confusing.
One of the most confusing topics is the use of apostrophes.
Does the apostrophe go before the “s” or after the “s”?
And when should you omit apostrophes altogether?
Today we’re going to clear up that confusion.
Let’s get started.
Here’s how to do apostrophes correctly every time:
Look for the correct spelling of the word or name.
LouisLouis’s shift
womenwomen’s concerns
bossboss’s desk
Try these yourself!
(Remember: Look for the correct spelling of the word or name.)
the childrens safety
Dennis award
Mrs. Harris car
both boys parents
the Johnsons house
an officers duties
Let’s start by spelling each word and name correctly.
children
Dennis
Mrs. Harris
both boys
the Johnsons
an officer
Now the apostrophes are easy!
children’s
Dennis’
Mrs. Harris’
both boys’
the Johnsons’
an officer’s
children’s safety
Dennis’ award
Mrs. Harris’ car
both boys’ parents
the Johnsons’ house
an officer’s duties
Sometimes there are TWO correct answers…
…meaning that you can add an extra “s” to Dennis and Harris if you like.
Dennis’s award
Mrs. Harris’s car
That’s because these names end in “s.”
Dennis’s award
Mrs. Harris’s car
Or you can forget about that extra “s.”
Both ways are correct!
Dennis’ award
Mrs. Harris’ car
Dennis’s award
Mrs. Harris’s car
Let’s try a few more!
(Remember: Look for the correct spelling of the word or name.)
the puppys shots
the puppies shots
the Smiths window
Mr. Carneys accident
the peoples rights
First we’ll spell each one correctly.
puppy
puppies
the Smiths
Mr. Carney
the people
Now it’s easy!
(Remember: Look for the correct spelling of the word or name.)
the puppy’s shots
the puppies’ shots
the Smiths’ window
Mr. Carney’s accident
the people’s rights
Now let’s take a look at plurals.Here are the Petersons. (Nice family, aren’t they?)
Should we insert an apostrophe into Petersons?Here’s the answer: It depends.
Apostrophes signify “of” ideas. They don’t mean “more than one” or “several.”
The Petersons are having a salad for lunch today.
There’s no “of,” so there’s no apostrophe.
The Petersons’ dining room overlooks a lovely garden.
“dining room of the Petersons” – yes, you need an apostrophe.
That “of” gives it away.
Try these yourself. (Be sure to look for an “of” idea!)
The Smiths are in Honolulu.
The Holders alarm system isn’t working.
The Chans asked me to check on their house.
The Farrells car was stolen.
The Smiths are in Honolulu.
The Holders’ alarm system isn’t working.
The Chans asked me to check on their house.
The Farrells’ car was stolen.
Here are the answers:
How did you do?
The Smiths are in Honolulu. (no “of”)The Holders’ alarm system isn’t working. (alarm system of the Holders)The Chans asked me to check on their house. (no “of”)The Farrells’ car was stolen. (car of the Farrells)
Now let’s look at one more issue related to apostrophes: Possessive pronouns.
Sound difficult? It’s not.
Here’s a useful trick: Think about the word his.
His never has an apostrophe, does it?
His is a possessive pronoun.
Possessive pronouns never have apostrophes. Never.
That desk is hers.
While your car is in the shop, you can use ours.
Our department increased its budget again this year.
For example:
An apostrophe in it’s means it is:
It’s raining.I think it’s going to storm.
You can learn more about apostrophes at
www.YourPoliceWrite.com.
Everything there is free, and no registration is needed:
www.YourPoliceWrite.com.
And if you’re looking for a low-cost, practical book that covers sentence patterns, English usage, and police reports…
Criminal Justice Report Writing is available from www.Amazon.com for just $17.95.
View a free sample online.
An e-book edition is available from www.Smashwords.com for only $11.99.
A free Instructor’s Manual is available on request: Send an e-mail to jreynoldswrite at aol.com.