The Apostrophe

What do I need it for?

This is Johns room.How do I know that this room belongs to John?

This is John’s room.You need an apostrophe to show possession. If you only add an “s”, you are making the word plural.

But what if the word is plural?

You do not need to add an extra “s” if you have added an “s” to make the word plural

• Let’s say that John shares his room with his two brothers, Jake and Joe. If you were to refer to their room, you might say: This is the brothers’ room.– You only need to add an apostrophe to show

possession in this case.

And if you wanted to list the brothers’ names, and then show possession?

• This is John, Jake, and Joe’s room.

You place the apostrophe and “s” at the end of the list.

And what do you do if the word already ends in “s”?You still add the apostrophe and “s”.

Ex. This is Chris’s car.

Let’s practice!

Add the apostrophe and “s” in the appropriate place.

• I love Jen scarf!• That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy car.• The princess castle is beautiful!• I went to my mom room to get her hairbrush.• My sister favorite dessert is pie.• The girls love to play with their Barbie dolls.

Did you get it right?Let’s check your answers!

I love Jen’s scarf!That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy’s car.

The princess’s castle is beautiful!I went to my mom’s room to get her hairbrush.

My sister’s favorite dessert is pie.The girls’ love to play with their Barbie dolls.

So, you know how to show possession.What else would you need the apostrophe for?

The apostrophe indicates that letters are missing in contractions.

• A contractions is when you contract, or combine, two words.

• This is a device that you might use in a colloquial, or conversational form of writing.

Common Contractions

• Have= ’ve– Ex. I’ve=I have, could’ve=could have (Do not say

could of!), etc…

More Common Contractions

• I am-I’m• Not=n’t– Ex. couldn’t=could not, can’t=cannot,

shouldn’t=should not

And More Common Contractions

• I’d-I would• Are=’re– Ex. They’re=they are, we’re=we are

Apostrophes can also be use to contract years

• 1990=‘90• 2001=‘01

Let’s Practice!

Create a contraction from the following:

• Cannot• Will not• Should have• Could have• 1990• I will• You are • They are• We will not• It is

Did you get it right?Let’s (a contraction for let us) check your answers!

• Can’t• Won’t• Should’ve• Could’ve• ‘90• I’ll• You’re• They’re• We won’t• It’s

Now it’s time for you to practice everything that you have worked on!

Copy this link in your web browser to test your knowledge!

• www.bbc.co.uk/skillwise/game/en29punc-game-beat-the-clock-apostrophes