CJS IMAGE DICTIONARY

Apostrophes: good friends, but bad enemies ....

1)	replacing letters	can't - won't - hasn't - they're - it's etc "The Times, they are a-changin'" (Bob Dylan)
2)	indicating possession	one person's thing: the boy's books > 1 person's thing: the boys' books
3)	names ending in 's'?	the Joneses' house OR the Jones' house Charles' cats or Charles's cats

WRITE your answer then
click "TOGGLE" to check.

Make sure you understand your errors.

HINT: REPETITION is a major
key to learning, so do the test:

at least twice NOW
again TOMORROW
in four days' time
in a week's time
in two weeks' time

There is no definitive rule about using apostrophes with pluralised names.
Often it comes down to a question of what looks aesthetically most pleasing.
However, THIS guide may be a help.


	John had two bags, and both were wet.
	the boys bags were wet
	The boy's bags were wet.
	.....'s refers to something belonging to ONE person


	Don't take anything for granted until the job is 100% complete: something could easily go wrong at the last minute. Here are two proverbs giving essentially the same message.
	1) theres many a slip twixt cup and lip 2) dont count your chickens until theyre hatched


	John and Bill both had bags, both of which were wet.
	the boys bags were wet
	The boys' bags were wet.
	.....s' refers to something belonging to MORE THAN ONE person


	All the girls had dresses which were very pretty.
	all the girls dresses were very pretty
	All the girls' dresses were very pretty.
	.....s' means something belonging to MORE THAN ONE person


	There were two brothers and and a girl in the room. The mother of the two boys was also there, but not the mother of the girl.
	the boys mother was there but not the girls


	There were two brothers and and a girl in the room. The mother of the two boys was also there, but not the mother of the girl.
	the boys mother was there but not the girls
	The boys' mother was there, but not the girl's.


	The team worked on the project for a week, but achieved nothing concrete.
	the entire weeks work was a waste of the teams time
	The entire week's work was a waste of the team's time.


	Three teams worked on the project for two weeks, but achieved nothing concrete.
	the entire two weeks work was a waste of the teams time
	The entire two weeks' work was a waste of the teams' time.


	The dog has a favourite rubber bone, but can't find it.
	the dogs lost its bone its looked everywhere

	CAREFUL! There are two finite clauses ...


	The dog has a favourite rubber bone, but can't find it.
	the dogs lost its bone its looked everywhere
	The dog's lost its bone. It's looked everywhere. OR The dog's lost its bone; it's looked everywhere.
	THIS BELOW is HORRIBLY WRONG: you can't join two finite clauses just with a comma: The dog's lost its bone, it's looked everywhere.


	The neighbour has a dog which barked a lot and then bit me.
	fortunately the dogs bark was worse than its bite
	Fortunately, the dog's bark was worse than its bite.
	The comma is essential.


	A teacher is explaining contractions to her class.
	these are some examples of contractions isnt arent cant wont and hasnt


	A teacher is explaining contractions to her class.
	these are some examples of contractions isnt arent cant wont and hasnt
	These are some examples of contractions: isn't, aren't, can't, won't and hasn't.
	1) The colon (:) precedes a list. 2) NO COMMA before the 'and'!


	in a geography class
	how many ps are there in mississippi asked the boy
	"How many p's are there in 'Mississippi'?" asked the boy.
	1) Note the apostrophe before an 's' indicating a PLURAL. 2) The apostophes round 'Mississippi' indicate that the WORD is meant and not the city itself.



	my irish friends names oreilly its a very common name
	My Irish friend's name's O'Reilly; it's a very common name. OR My Irish friend's name's O'Reilly. It's a very common name.
	but "name is ...." is also fine


	A teacher hands back some written work.
	some of your writings unclear your 2s look like 7s said miss jones


	A teacher hands back some written work.
	some of your writings unclear your 2s look like 7s said miss jones
	"Some of your writing's unclear: your 2's look like 7's," said Miss Jones.
	The colon (:) precedes an explanation.


	A manager is reporting on the negotiation of a contract with another company.
	the negotiations are all but finished we just have to dot the is and cross the ts he said


	A manager is reporting on the negotiation of a contract with another company.
	the negotiations are all but finished we just have to dot the is and cross the ts he said
	"The negotiations are all but finished; we just have to dot the i's and cross the t's," he said.
	; links two finite clauses when there is no conjunction "to dot the i's and cross the t's"means 'to tidy up the final details'


	discussing one or more dogs and its or their bones
	1) the dogs bones were buried in our neighbours gardens (ONE dog & TWO neighbours) 2) the dogs bones were buried in our neighbours garden (TWO dogs & ONE neighbour)


	discussing one or more dogs and its or their bones
	1) the dogs bones were buried in our neighbours gardens (ONE dog & TWO neighbours) 2) the dogs bones were buried in our neighbours garden (TWO dogs & ONE neighbour)
	1) The dog's bones were buried in our neighbours' gardens. 2) The dogs' bones were buried in our neighbour's garden.



	1) the students uniforms were dirty (SEVERAL students, each with a uniform) 2) the students uniforms were dirty (ONE student with SEVERAL uniforms)



	1) the students uniforms were dirty (SEVERAL students, each with a uniform) 2) the students uniforms were dirty (ONE student with SEVERAL uniforms)
	1) The students' uniforms were dirty. 2) The student's uniforms were dirty.



	I'll be finished in taiwan in two weeks and so home in ramsgate in three weeks time



	I'll be finished in Taiwan in two weeks and so home in ramsgate in three weeks time
	I'll be finished in Taiwan in two weeks, and so home in Ramsgate in three weeks' time.



	basically you get two days pay for just one days work brilliant



	basically you get two days pay for just one days work brilliant
	Basically, you get two days' pay for just one day's work. Brilliant!
	The "!" after "Brilliant" is not essential - just better in this context. The comma after "Basically", however, IS essential.



	1) have you heard the news mr mrs smiths cats died (they had ONE cat) 2) have you heard the news ms smiths cats died (she had TWO cats)



	1) have you heard the news mr mrs smiths cats died (they had ONE cat) 2) have you heard the news ms smiths cats died (she had TWO cats)
	1) "Have you heard the news? Mr Mrs Smiths' cat's died." 2) "Have you heard the news? Ms Smith's cats died."
	'Mr Mrs' is British English - American English prefers 'Mr. Mrs.'. 'Ms' refers to a lady of indeterminate marital status.


	The mobiles belonging to both John and Jack have gone AWOL (absent without leave).
	have you seen john and jacks mobiles


	The mobiles belonging to both John and Jack have gone AWOL (absent without leave).
	have you seen john and jacks mobiles
	"Have you seen John and Jack's mobiles?"
	The posessive apostophe only needs to go on the SECOND name, not on both.


	Mr Mrs Jones have bought a new house Be careful! There are two finite clauses to be linked without a conjunction ....
	I love the jones new house it's so full of charming features


	Mr Mrs Jones have bought a new house.
	I love the jones new house it's so full of charming features
	I love the Jones'/Joneses new house: it's so full of charming features.
	Jones' or Joneses are both acceptable; it's a question here of personal taste : gives a REASON or EXPLANATION of the first clause


	Mr Mrs Peters live next door to the shop selling bread
	where do the peters live asked bill the peters house is next to the bakers replied ben

	Peters' or Peterses are both theoretically correct, but the latter here is horrible!


	Mr Mrs Peters live next door to the shop selling bread.
	where do the peters live asked bill the peters house is next to the bakers replied ben
	"Where do the Peters live?"asked Bill. "The Peters' house is next to the baker's," replied Ben.
	Peters' or Peterses are both theoretically correct, but the latter here is horrible!



	1) mps work irregular hours 2) mps hours of work are very irregular 3) an mps hours of work are very irregular



	1) mps work irregular hours 2) mps hours of work are very irregular 3) an mps hours of work are very irregular
	1) MPs work irregular hours. 2) MPs' hours of work are very irregular. 3) An MP's hours of work are very irregular.
	Abbreviations such as MP, GP, BBC, NGO, FBI etc are written without full stops.



	in most peoples opinion the golden age of hollywood is reckoned to have been mainly in the 1940s and 50s



	in most peoples opinion the golden age of hollywood is reckoned to have been mainly in the 1940s and 50s
	In most people's opinion The Golden Age of Hollywood is reckoned to have been mainly in the 1940s and 50s.
	no apostophes after plural years


	Jack answers his friend Jim's question about going clubbing.
	going clubbing its lost its appeal for me too expensive and noisy


	Jack answers his friend Jim's question about going clubbing.
	going clubbing its lost its appeal for me too noisy and expensive
	Going clubbing? It's lost its appeal for me: too noisy and expensive.
	the : is followed by an explanation



	thank you for teaching me the word plethora said Spock to Captain Kirk it means a lot to me


	Yes, it IS a play on words - but you don't have to laugh .....
	thank you for teaching me the word plethora said Spock to Captain Kirk it means a lot to me
	"Thank you for teaching me the word 'plethora'", said Spock to Captain Kirk."It means a lot to me."
	You can debate whether 'a lot' needs apostophes!


	Don't try to save money on trifling things which might spoil the whole effect.
	dont spoil the ship for a haporth of tar


	Don't try to save money on trifling things which might spoil the whole effect.
	dont spoil the ship for a haporth of tar
	Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar.
	This is a familiar proverb. A 'ha'porth' is colloquial for 'a halfpennyworth', which is now archaic except in the proverb.


	Don't take anything for granted until the job is 100% complete: something could easily go wrong at the last minute. Here are two proverbs giving essentially the same message.
	1) theres many a slip twixt cup and lip 2) dont count your chickens until theyre hatched
	1) There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip. 2) Don't count your chickens until they're hatched.
	When you raise your cup to drink it is only a short distance but you never know when something will cause you to spill a drop or worse. Lots more proverbs HERE.