The Apostrophe: When and How to Use It (Grade 10 NSC Matric English HL): Revision Notes
The Apostrophe: When and How to Use It
What is an apostrophe?
An apostrophe is a small punctuation mark (') that plays an important role in English writing. Although it might seem simple, knowing when and how to use it correctly will help you write more accurately and avoid common mistakes in your exams. The apostrophe has two primary functions: showing contraction and showing possession.
Understanding apostrophes is essential for clear communication in English. Misusing or omitting apostrophes can change the meaning of your sentences and may cost you marks in exams where accuracy matters.
Uses of the apostrophe
Showing contraction (shortened words)
When we speak or write informally, we often shorten words by combining them and removing some letters. The apostrophe marks the spot where those letters have been removed. This shortened form is called a contraction.
How contractions work:
- Take two separate words
- Remove one or more letters from the second word
- Join the words together
- Place an apostrophe where the letters were removed
Common Contractions in Action:
Let's see how contractions are formed step by step:
- do not → don't (the apostrophe replaces the 'o' in 'not')
- I will → I'll (the apostrophe replaces 'wi' from 'will')
- it is → it's (the apostrophe replaces the 'i' from 'is')
- cannot → can't (the apostrophe replaces 'no' from 'not')
- they are → they're (the apostrophe replaces 'a' from 'are')
Remember that contractions are more common in informal writing and speech. In formal essays or academic writing, you should generally write out the full words instead. For example, use "do not" rather than "don't" in formal assignments.
Showing possession (belonging)
The second important use of an apostrophe is to indicate possession or ownership. When you want to show that something belongs to someone or something, you use an apostrophe with the letter 's'.
Understanding possession:
The apostrophe helps us show relationships between people and their belongings, or between things and what they contain or are associated with. Think of it as answering the question: "Who does this belong to?"
Rules for singular nouns:
When the noun is singular (meaning just one person or thing), you add 's to the end of the word.
Singular Possession Examples:
- Sam's book – The book belongs to Sam (one person)
- Mpho's commitment – The commitment belongs to Mpho (one person)
- The dog's tail – The tail belongs to the dog (one animal)
- The teacher's desk – The desk belongs to one teacher
Rules for plural nouns ending in 's':
When the noun is plural (meaning more than one) and already ends in the letter 's', you add only the apostrophe ' after the 's'. You do not add another 's'.
Plural Possession Examples:
- The players' uniforms – The uniforms belong to the players (more than one player)
- The teachers' lounge – The lounge belongs to the teachers (more than one teacher)
- The students' books – The books belong to the students (more than one student)
- The dogs' bowls – The bowls belong to multiple dogs
Why placement matters: Getting the apostrophe placement right shows whether you're talking about one person or multiple people. Compare:
- The teacher's desk (one teacher owns the desk)
- The teachers' desk (multiple teachers share a desk)
The apostrophe placement completely changes the meaning!
Common apostrophe errors and corrections
Contractions vs. possessive pronouns: it's and its
One of the most common apostrophe mistakes involves the words it's and its. Many students confuse these two because they sound identical but have completely different meanings and uses.
Understanding the difference:
It's (with an apostrophe) is a contraction. It is the shortened form of either "it is" or "it has".
- It's raining = It is raining
- It's been a long day = It has been a long day
Its (without an apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun. It shows that something belongs to or is associated with an 'it'.
- The dog wagged its tail (the tail belongs to the dog)
- The tree lost its leaves (the leaves belong to the tree)
The replacement test: If you're unsure which to use, try replacing the word with "it is" or "it has". If the sentence still makes sense, use it's (with the apostrophe). If it doesn't make sense, use its (without the apostrophe).
For example:
- "The dog wagged it is tail" ✗ (doesn't make sense → use its)
- "It is raining outside" ✓ (makes sense → use it's)
Placement of the apostrophe in plural possession
When showing possession with plural nouns that already end in 's', students often place the apostrophe in the wrong position. Let's look at the correct way to do this.
Correcting Plural Possession:
Incorrect: A few second's eye contact
- This is wrong because 'seconds' is plural, but the apostrophe is placed as if 'second' were singular.
Correct: A few seconds' eye contact
- This is correct because 'seconds' is plural, so the apostrophe comes after the 's'.
The rule: When the word you're making possessive is plural and already ends in 's', place the apostrophe after the final 's'. Do not add another 's' after the apostrophe.
Think: Singular gets 's, plural ending in s gets just '
Fixing misused apostrophes with possessive pronouns
Another common error occurs when students incorrectly add apostrophes to possessive pronouns. Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes.
Correcting Possessive Pronoun Errors:
Incorrect: Shaking it's contents into my hands
Correct: Shaking its contents into my hands
Why this is wrong: The word 'its' in this sentence is a possessive pronoun showing that the contents belong to something. It is not a contraction of "it is" or "it has", so it should not have an apostrophe.
Other possessive pronouns that never use apostrophes:
- yours (not your's)
- hers (not her's)
- ours (not our's)
- theirs (not their's)
- whose (not who's – note that 'who's' is a contraction of "who is")
Exam tip: Before you write an apostrophe, ask yourself: "Am I shortening two words into one (contraction)? Or am I showing that something belongs to someone (possession)?" If neither applies, you probably don't need an apostrophe.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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The apostrophe has two main uses: showing contraction (shortened words) and showing possession (belonging or ownership).
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For contractions: The apostrophe replaces the missing letters where two words are joined (don't, I'll, it's = it is).
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For singular possession: Add 's to the noun (Sam's book, the dog's tail).
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For plural possession (ending in 's'): Add only the apostrophe after the 's' (the players' uniforms, the teachers' lounge).
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It's vs. its: "It's" is always a contraction meaning "it is" or "it has", while "its" is a possessive pronoun that never takes an apostrophe.
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Possessive pronouns never need apostrophes: its, yours, hers, ours, theirs, whose.