1. With Proper Nouns
 (Inman, 2015)
This lesson provides an overview of the three English language uses of the apostrophe with emphasis on the apostrophe’s use with proper nouns.
A noun is classified as a common noun or proper noun. Proper nouns are the capitalized names of specific persons, places or things.
The correct use of apostrophes with proper nouns makes writing appear more refined, easier to read and grammatically correct.
Dana Payne
IST511
10 November 2015

2. Introduction The apostrophe (’) is a special punctuation mark
The apostrophe serves three purposes
Omission of letters
Plurals of lowercase letters
Possessives of nouns
This lesson covers
Apostrophe use for proper nouns
When not to use apostrophes
The apostrophe is the same symbol as the closing ‘single’ quotation mark. The are 3 basic uses of the apostrophe:
(1) With the apostrophe, the writer can indicate the omission of one or more letters in a contraction. A contraction is two words joined together and shortened by an apostrophe (like can’t - for can not and couldn’t for could not)
(2) The writer can also use the apostrophe to show plural forms for lower case letters (like lowercase p and lowercase q as in minding your p’s and q’s)
(3) Finally, the writer can use the apostrophe to form possessiveness of common and proper nouns.
Proper nouns are capitalized names of specific persons, places or things.
Choosing how to use an apostrophe can be challenging because similar rules apply to the use of apostrophes with common and proper nouns.
Three rules to learn from his lesson include when to use apostrophe followed by and s for proper nouns ending in s, not ending in s, and ending in a silent s.

3. Apostrophe's for Proper Nouns
Rule 1 - Proper Noun does not end in “s” - use ‘s
Sigmund Freud’s patient
The Boston Globe’s sports page
The 6th edition of the American Psychological Association’s style guide calls for adding an apostrophe and an s, even when the proper noun ends in s
Rule number 1, when forming possessives with a proper noun that does not end in “s,” the possessive is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s. For example - Sigmund Freud's patient, the Boston Globe’s sports page.
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4. Apostrophe's for Proper Nouns
Rule 2 - Proper Noun ends in “s” – use ‘s
Charles Dickens’s books
Jesus’s Disciples
Rule number 2, when forming possessives with a proper noun that ends in “s,” the possessive is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s. For example - Charles Dickens’s books, Jesus’s Disciples.
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 (How to Use Apostrophes, n.d.)

5. Apostrophe's for Proper Nouns
Rule 3 - Proper Noun ends in silent “s” - use ‘
French philosopher René Descartes’ novel
Rule number 3, when forming possessives with a proper noun that ends in a silent “s,” the possessive is formed by adding only an apostrophe. For example - French philosopher René Descartes’ novel.
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 (How to Use Apostrophes, n.d.)

6. When NOT to use and Apostrophe
Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns whose, ours, his, hers, or its
Do not use an apostrophe in nouns that are plural, but not possessive, such as CDs, 1000s, or 1960s.
Do not use an apostrophe in any verbs. Apostrophes sometimes incorrectly show up in verbs that end in -s, such as marks, sees, or finds.
Never use an apostrophe for possessive pronouns like yours or theirs, with plural nouns that are not possessive 1800s and never use an apostrophe in any verbs.
 (How to Use Apostrophes, n.d.)

7. Summary
Use an apostrophe followed by a s for proper nouns that do not end in a silent s
Use an apostrophe for proper nouns ending in a silent s
When writing with proper nouns ending not ending in a silent s, use an apostrophe followed by an s to indicate possessiveness.
When writing with proper nouns ending ending in a silent s, use an apostrophe followed by an s to indicate possessiveness.

8. References
Gongol, B. (2014, January 24). Friday, January 24, 2014 Apostrophe S = Love...Sometimes. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from
How to Use Apostrophes. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2015, from
Inman, M. (2015). How to use an apostrophe. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from
Krupa, T. (2013, June 20). Forming Possessives With Singular Names. Retrieved November 13, 2015, from possessives-with-singular-names.html
names.html
The Apostrophe. (2012, February 22). Retrieved November 9, 2015, from