APOSTROPHES QUIZ #3, Part 4 of 5

If you need to review…

REMEMBER:

APOSTROPHES can mean that LETTERS are missing. For example – DO NOT becomes DON’T. The letters

PULL IN, or CONTRACT over the missing letters. Another, I WOULD

becomes I’D. It CONTRACTS/PULLS IN over the missing letters.

The other use of APOSTROPHES is for POSSESSION. Here’s a tip I made

up…

POSSESSIVE POST-IT NOTE

A POSSESSIVE means that something belongs to something else.

If the HORSE belongs to MATT, it isMATT’S HORSE

It belongs to WHO?MATT

SO – you SLAM a POST-IT NOTE on MATT. Here’s how…

‘S POST-IT NOTE

The HORSE belongs to MATT, it isMatt’s Horse

So I SLAM the Post-It Note on MATT, because the HORSE belongs to him. Like so…

Matt

Matt’s Horse

Easy, huh? MattHorse.

But what about the CAT that belongs to the JONES family?

They already have an S on their name.

Still SLAM them with the Post-It…

The Jones’ Cat

The Jonescat.

In typing – The Jones’s cat.BUT!!! That is very SPITTY. To many

SSSSSSS – say it aloud and you’ll SPRAY it all over your screen.

SO take off the last S

And you get:

The Jones’ cat.

What?

Words like Jones or James that already have an S are the reason I made up the Post-It Possessive.

People are always asking me – “Does the apostrophe go before the S or AFTER the S.”

It always goes AFTER the word you’re working with – JONES or MATT or even FRIENDS. You slam them with a POST-IT.

THEN – if there are TOO many SSSSSSSSSSSSIf you’re getting SPITTY…

Take off the last S so that you getJones’ cat

Friends’ gardenetc., etc….

Whoever OWNS it – SLAM them with a THEN, if you’re getting SPITTY, take the last S off…

Doesn’t Work For You?

Try it in these exercises. If it STILL doesn’t work for you, remember that after each

homework, I’ve posted the answers. Study the correct answers vs. those you wrote in your text. How did you do? Do you see how now? Reread the instructions in the text,

too – maybe they will work better for you…

If you STILL don’t get it – write to me with specific examples. You CAN do this. And once you GET it, you’ll have it for LIFE!

Pretty good deal, eh?

Directions: Rephrase the following, using an apostrophe to

indicate possession or contraction.

1. Tennis rackets of John

1. John tennis rackets

HINT: Just SLAM John – John’s

2. Toys of my children

2. My children’s toys

HINT: WHO do the toys belong to? The CHILDREN. Slam them and get:

children

3. I do not

3. I don’t

HINT: Simple CONTRACTION – they PULLLLLLL together and cover up letters that are missing – and replace them with an apostrophe

4. Rules of society

HINT – WHO or WHAT do the RULES belong to?

4. Society’s rules

HINT – SLAM Society with a

or… Society’s

5. Home of my friends

HINT: Uh-oh. The home BELONGS to my FRIENDS and it already has an S on it… Are you feeling SPITTY?

5. My friends homebecomes “My friends’s home”and then becomes…

My friends’ home – as I delete the EXTRA/SPITTY “S”

6. It is

6. It’s

HINT: This is the most common mistake in the English language. If IT IS cannot fit in the sentence, IT IS the other one – or its. If IT IS can in the blank, it’s is the CORRECT one!

7. Education of today

7. Today’s education

HINT: What does the EDUCATION belong TO?

Today

8. Could not

8. Couldn’t

9. I would

9. I’d

HINT: CONTRACTION! And you might see it on the quiz!

10. Computers of the school

10. School’s computers

HINT: WHO do the computers belong to? SLAM ‘em!

11. Ive had enough experience to be called an expert.

11. I’ve had enough experience to be called an expert.

12. He borrowed his fathers car.

12. He borrowed his father’s car.

HINT: The CAR belonged to his FATHER

…his father car

13. Harry knows that Lisas afraid of heights.

13. Harry knows that Lisa’s afraid of heights.

LISA IS = Lisa’s

14. I dont have time to listen to their excuses.

14. I don’t have time to listen to their excuses.

OF COURSE you KNEW that one, but remember to look for these typos in your essays…

15. Although my eyes are blue, his are brown.

15. Although my eyes are blue, his are brown.

C

16. The labs procedures havent been written on the syllabus.

16. The lab’s procedures haven’t been written on the syllabus.

The PROCEDURES belong to the LAB – lab procedures

HAVEN’T = have not

17. If you didnt get the answer correct check another students answer.

17. If you didn’t get the answer correct check another student’s answer.

DID NOT = didn’tThe ANSWER belongs to the STUDENT = student answer

18. Chris room is finally clean.

CAUTION…

18. Chris’ room is finally clean.

The ROOM belongs to CHRIS, so we SLAM him… Chris

Say it aloud – it gets SPITTY – so remove the final S and get:Chris’ room

19. Most airplanes are running on schedule, but yours is late.

19. Most airplanes are running on schedule, but yours is late.

C – your’s isn’t a word – and YOUR IS isn’t a word.YOUR is already possessive. The PLANE belongs to you!

20. Its time to decide what to do during your break.

20. It’s time to decide what to do during your break.

IT IS = it’s

NEED MORE? Excellent that you know that! I always say that being smart requires finding what you DON’T know. They are the HOLES in your BOAT. What is going to sink you? That’ all you have to find and fix! For more practice in what you DON’T know, use your text. The INDEX will tell you where if you look up APOSTROPHES…

As always, email me with questions. You know I love ‘em

mrs :D