Apostrophes

Apostrophes have a role to play in just two situations:

1. To indicate missing letters, as in a contraction (which we avoid in formal writing but use all the time elsewhere):

Cannot = can't

Also, you can indicate missing letters / numbers with an apostrophe in other situations:

It is = 'Tis

1980s = '80s

2. To indicate possession (Matt's book, George's education, the boys' bikes)

PRO TIP: Possessive pronouns (including: his, hers, theirs, its, ours) are already inherently possessive and therefore do not need an apostrophe. 

Do NOT use apostrophes to indicate plurals or verb forms. (He run's. She lie's. The 1980's were colorful years.)

PRO TIP TWO:

Whatever you may have heard, the issue of whether you use just an apostrophe or an apostrophe + s is NOT based on whether something ends in "s" or not. That is a shortcut that will, sometimes, end in error. Instead, it is based on whether something is singular (then add apostrophe + s) or plural (just the apostrophe):

• Chris's shirt
• Stevens's imagination
   

Apostrophes Links

• Short video (2:18): "Apostrophes," GWC
• Short video (4:49): "Introduction to the Apostrophe," Khan Academy
• Exercises: "Meet the Apostrophe," Khan Academy 
• Short video (2:50): "Apostrophes and Plurals," Khan Academy
• Exercises: "Apostrophes and Plurals," Khan Academy
• Handout: "Possessives," UNC Charlotte