An apostrophe is used to show ownership or possession.
• Elaine’s tomato soup; the water’s source;
the men’s outrage
An apostrophe is used to signal letter omission in
contractions.
• Don’t tell me that I’m beautiful; it’s
obvious enough.
Some people like to use an apostrophe plus s to
make certain words and terms plural; others prefer to skip the apostrophe
and just use s. For example, the New York
Times writes CD’s when they’re talking
about more than one CD; other newspapers just say CDs.
Both ways are correct; inclusion of the apostrophe
is a matter of preference. Whichever way you choose, be sure to
stay consistent.
• Todd introduced DJ Red on the ones
and twos.
Add an apostrophe plus s to phrases
to make them plural.
• I can’t bear to hear any more “without
a doubt’s” from you!
For most words, simply add an apostrophe and s.
• The men’s locker room is dirtier than
the women’s.
Add an apostrophe plus s to the end
of singular words that end in s.
• Yolanda read Charles Dickens’s A
Christmas Carol.
• Massachusetts’s baseball team infuriated
Boston fans for years.
• The boss’s tone seemed off.
The exception is words that end in an eez sound.
Add an apostrophe only.
• Sophocles’ sandals gave him blisters.
Note that it is not incorrect to add just an apostrophe
to all words that end in s.
Also OK: Yolanda
read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Also OK: Massachusetts’
baseball team infuriated Boston fans for years.
Also OK: The
boss’ tone seemed off.
We at SparkNotes prefer to be guided by pronunciation:
since we hear an uhz sound at the end of class
in class’s disappointment, we write the s.
Add an apostrophe to the end of plural words that end
in s.
• We’re jealous of the Joneses’ new lawn
mower.
• The stars’ light illuminated the path
through the woods.
If two words are a unit, you need only one apostrophe
plus s.
• Peanut butter and jelly’s main appeal
is its combination of saltiness and sweetness.
• My mother and father’s house smells
like orchids.
Be careful, though—sometimes two words appear to be
a unit but are not. In those cases, each word gets an apostrophe
plus s.
• Cynthia always sends flowers on her
mother’s and father’s birthdays.
• Rand’s and Machievelli’s philosophies
inspired the cruel man.
