What are common errors associated with apostrophes?
Common mistakes: Apostrophes
- Mistake 1. You use contractions in academic writing.
- Mistake 3. You have trouble distinguishing between possessive forms (‘s) and plural forms (s).
- Mistake 4. You have trouble distinguishing between ‘s (apostrophe s) and s’ ( s apostrophe).
Is 70’s correct?
You can ditch the apostrophe when referring to a decade or an era, like the 1600s or 1970s. However you do need it if you want to abbreviate the decade. “The 70’s are my favorite decade.” or “The ’70s are my favorite decade.” If you guessed the latter, you are correct.
How are apostrophes used incorrectly to show possession?
Writers often misuse apostrophes when forming plurals and possessives. The basic rule is quite simple: use the apostrophe to indicate possession, not a plural. The exceptions to the rule may seem confusing: hers has no apostrophe, and it’s is not possessive.
Is it Starbucks or Starbucks’s?
“Starbucks” is a noun. According to the grammar, all the nouns which end in “s” will require an “-es” for the plural, so, possibly it is “Starbuckses”.
Is it Lewis or Lewis’s?
| 3 Singular Nouns (w/ “s” ending) | noun | possessive |
|---|---|---|
| common noun ending in “s” [singular] | bus | bus’s The bus’s route went by Newt’s house. |
| proper noun ending in “s” [singular] | Lewis | Lewis’s John Lewis’s vibraphone is missing. [ Note exception 1] |
What is a creme frappuccino?
Put into the most simple of terms, the Blended Creme Frappuccino is the version of Starbucks’ iced blended drink that doesn’t contain any coffee. As such, a large number of these beverages are decaf by default. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule.
What are the most common apostrophe mistakes?
One of the most common apostrophe mistakes is confusing possessive pronouns with contractions that look or sound similar. Always pay attention to whether an apostrophe is intended to indicate possession or a contraction, and remember that possessive pronouns don’t take apostrophes.
Should apostrophes end in s?
While normal people wonder about apostrophes in general, believe it or not, word nerds have heated arguments over whether to use an additional s with singular possession. Rule 1: Many common nouns end in the letter s (lens, cactus, bus, etc.). So do a lot of proper nouns (Mr. Jones, Texas, Christmas).
What is the difference between a contraction and an apostrophe?
Apostrophe Use: Contractions and Omissions. A contraction is a shortened form of a word (or group of words) that omits certain letters or sounds. In a contraction, an apostrophe represents missing letters.
Do you put apostrophes where they don’t belong?
Apostrophes give many writers a lot of trouble. Sometimes, you might be tempted to put an apostrophe where it does not belong, such as when you are simply making a word plural. Other times, you need to make a word possessive, but you might forget to use the apostrophe.
