1. What is the purpose of the Apostrophe? To show possession To signify letters that are dropped to create contractions Notice something missing?

2. There are places where the apostrophe is NOT used! To pluralize words That’s right. Whenever you see: CD’sID’s1980’s IT IS INCORRECT! If you wrote out these words, you would never use the ‘s: compact discs identifications nineteen eighties

3. Here is where else it is WRONG: To add an s to the end of a word that ends with y. That’s right. If you try to write tries as try’s IT IS WRONG Ever heard of “drop the y and add -i-e-s?” It is still the rule!

4. PLEASE… If you are going to write: day’s day’scat’s1980’s It had better be in this context: That day’s heat made my cat’s fur mat; 1980’s summer was the worst on record.

5. If you are in doubt Can you separate the ‘s out into two words, like: that is from that’s? Are you discussing an object that belongs to someone? The purse that belongs to my mother can become my mother’s purse. Are you just adding an apostrophe because you are using an acronym or abbreviation? Don’t give in to this temptation! There are many DVDs, but that DVD’s scratches make it unplayable. (See the difference between pluralizing and making it possessive?)

6. So let’s practice! Please rewrite the following sentences correctly. 1.The boys bike cost’s fifty dollar’s. 2.Jenny try’s to alphabetize her DVD’s. 3.Thats a funny joke. 4.Juniors best friend’s are Penelope and Gordy.

7. The corrected sentences: 1.The boy’s bike costs fifty dollars. 2.Jenny tries to alphabetize her DVDs. 3.That’s a funny joke. 4.Junior’s best friends are Penelope and Gordy.