taming the wild apostrophe

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Taming the Wild Taming the Wild ApostropheApostrophe

Taming the Wild Taming the Wild ApostropheApostrophe

.

ENGLISH FOR CAREERS, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and Technicalby Leila R. SmithPresentation design by Barbara Moran

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to indicate possessives

(The boy’s hat...

and contractions...isn’t on his head.).

In this presentation...In this presentation...

What is it for?What is it for?,,

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

(ahem)(ahem) ...you will learn about... ...you will learn about...

• Miscellaneous uses for apostrophes.Miscellaneous uses for apostrophes.

• Apostrophes in contractions.Apostrophes in contractions.

• The three rules for forming possessives. The three rules for forming possessives.

• The concept of the possessive expression.

((Where do you Where do you putput that little mark?that little mark?))

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Tell me more aboutTell me more aboutpossessive expressions.possessive expressions.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

A possessive expression shows a relationship between two nouns:

She sailed to Bermuda on her boyfriend’s yacht.

The senator’s wife is a well-known gossip.

I’ve been waiting for hours in the dentist’s office.

Next month you’ll be eligible for two weeks’ vacation.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The possessive expression can be rephrased using the word OF;

for example,

the wife of the senator,

the office of my dentist.

But the possessive is usually smoother and more concise.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The placement of the apostrophe depends on whether the first noun, the possessor, is singular or plural.

OK, fine--but where OK, fine--but where dodo you you put that little mark?put that little mark?

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The possessors in these sentences…

She broke the teacher’s nose.I hate my brother’s friends.

You can’t solve this city’s problems.

…are all singular (one teacher, one brother, one city).

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

The possessors in these sentences...

Wait for me in the teachers’ lounge.Cohn & Cohn, Inc., is the name of my

brothers’ company.The judge made a dramatic speech on

states’ rights.

…are all plural (several teachers, two brothers, fifty states).

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Remember: whether the Remember: whether the possessive is singular or plural possessive is singular or plural depends on the first of the two depends on the first of the two

nouns--the possessor;nouns--the possessor; notnot on the second noun-- on the second noun--

the possessed!the possessed!the possessed!the possessed!

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

• Is the possessor singular or plural?

Before you place the apostrophe, Before you place the apostrophe, ask yourself:ask yourself:

...then apply one of ...then apply one of these three rules...these three rules...

• If the possessor is plural, does it end in S?

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

1.To make a singularnoun possessive,

add ’s.

Singular possessivesSingular possessives..

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Singular possessivesSingular possessives..

the boy’s dogthe boy’s dog

roof

California’s citizensCalifornia’s citizens

We are the world...

Call me Bob.Karen’s brotherKaren’s brother

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

2.To make a plural noun ending in s possessive,

add an apostrophe after the s.

Plural possessivesPlural possessives..

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

It was It was youryour turn to turn tobring donuts, Wendell. bring donuts, Wendell.

employees’ conferenceemployees’ conference buildings’ lights buildings’ lights friends’ friends’ reunionreunion

Plural possessivesPlural possessives..

How ya been?How ya been?So -so.So -so.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

3.To make a plural noun

not ending in s possessive,

add ’s.

Plural possessivesPlural possessives..

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Men’s roomMen’s room People’s People’s choicechoice

Women’sWomen’s groupgroup

Plural possessivesPlural possessives..

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

…are words that are shortened by removing one or more letters and replacing them with apostrophes.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

I’m feeling very old.

I am

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

I’m feeling very old.

I am

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

I’m feeling very old.

I’m

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

cannot

You can’t be serious.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

cannot

You can’t be serious.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

can’t

You can’t be serious.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

That’s the way I feel.

that is

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

That’s the way I feel.

that is

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

That’s the way I feel.

that’s

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

do not

Don’t be so negative.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

do not

Don’t be so negative.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

don’t

Don’t be so negative.

English for Careers, 9th EditionBusiness, Professional, and TechnicalBy Leila R. Smith

©2006 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458