Use an apostrophe to indicate a missing letter, like
can't or
didn't or
ain't.
But don't use an apostrophe when you're just taking out a space! Just letters. Don't write
do'n't.
Don't forget
won't, which is a contraction for …
wo not? Side question: What's
ain't a contraction for?
And
'tis.
If you're contracting
and, don't forget to use
two apostrophes:
rock 'n' roll,
peaches 'n' cream,
Bang '&' Olufsen.
Use an apostrophe if you're combining a pronoun or noun and a verb, like
she'll and
there's and
who's and
Fred's and
I'd've and
they'll and
Mike'll and
y'all'd've.
Add apostrophe plus
s to the end of a noun to indicate possession:
dog's breakfast,
pedant's delight. (Question: In
dog's, what letter does the apostrophe stand in for? Answer: Shhh.)
Yes, add apostrophe plus
s even if the noun ends in
s, like
the boss's red tie,
Texas's Board of Education, and
Davy Jones's locker.
And even if the final
s is not pronounced, like
Descartes's existence and
Xerxes's army.
Unless you have a style guide that tells you
not to add an apostrophe plus
s to singular nouns that end in
s, in which case it will be
Davy Jones' locker.
Don't add an apostrophe plus
s for certain names, like
Jesus' and
Moses'.
Hmm. We changed our minds,
do add an apostrophe plus
s for those names.
But don't use an apostrophe for
certain names, like
Harrods and
Barclays and
Publishers Weekly. (Question: How do you know which names these are? Answer: Yes.)
Don't use an apostrophe for the possessive form of pronouns! Like
hers and
its and
theirs. Use
whose for possessive, not
who's.
Except in
Dr. Who's 50-year history.
Oh, and except for
one, like
the evil one's cunning plan.
For the possessive of plurals, add
s and
then the apostrophe, like
dogs' breakfasts or
The Smiths' or
both Jameses' cars.
Unless the plural
doesn't end in
s. In that case, mark the plural possessive using apostrophe plus
s, just like the singular, as in
people's choice and
women's march.
And use apostrophe plus
s for the possessive of plurals of compounds, like
my sons-in-law's cars and
the states' attorneys general's responsibilities.
Add an apostrophe when you're talking about time spans ("quasi possessives"), like
6 months' experience.
But not if they're time spans but not quasi possessive:
4 months pregnant.
Don't add any apostrophe at all if the noun is acting as an adjective:
A Coen Brothers Production.
This includes terms like
teachers union or
farmers market.
Carpenters union or
carpenters' union? Toss-up.
Don't get these confused: it's
Ladies' Room but
Women's Room.
It's
Mother's Day. Or maybe
Mothers' Day? But definitely
Veterans Day. See previous.
If the word seems plural-y but is used in a singular sort of way, just add an apostrophe to the
s, not apostrophe plus
s, like
economics' failure and
the species' characteristics and
the United States' role.
But don't add an apostrophe to
the United States Constitution.
Add an apostrophe, but not an
s, in
for…sake expressions:
for goodness' sake.
Unless the word doesn't end in an
s sound, in which case
do add an apostrophe plus
s:
for expediency's sake.
Plurals never get apostrophes. It's
oranges, not
orange's.
Wait,
do use an apostrophe for the plural of single letters, like
p's and q's and
dotting the i's.
And use an apostrophe to indicate decades, like the
1980's. Or don't:
1980s.
And if you do write
1980's, don't add an apostrophe if you're contracting the name of the decades, like
the '80s.
Use an apostrophe if you're writing the plural for a term that includes periods, like
two M.D.'s on staff.
Or if it would be confusing to leave them out, like
do's and don'ts. Or
do's and don't's? Or
dos and don’ts?