Apostrophes — Again! This isn’t the first article I’ve written on using apostrophes, and given the confusion surrounding them, it probably won’t be the last. But since I can’t know who will read what I post or who needs to…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 3: Using Apostrophes
This is the third in a series highlighting common grammar and usage errors (in the American system, anyway) that can trap even the best writers if they’re (they are) not watching what they’re (they are) writing carefully. Last week we…
Traps for the Unwary, Part 2: Apostrophes do not Create Plurals!
Last week I started a series on common errors that can trap even the best writers when we’re not thinking clearly or reading what we’ve written. Today we’re looking at one of the smaller punctuation marks — the apostrophe —…
Apostrophes Mark the Spot!
Apostrophes mark the spot, even when it’s the wrong one! Can you easily spot the four errors in the header picture? While there are differences in all the versions of “English” around the world, most English speakers and writers can…
Holiday Names and Apostrophes
Happy after Thanksgiving to my readers! Here in America — and in those places around the world where Americans gathered — we stuffed ourselves with huge amounts of turkey (or other protein), vegetables, potatoes, casseroles, and desserts — and who…
It’s Quiz Time Again!
Please remember this is based on the American grammar system; if you follow any of the British systems, your rules might be different. ************** Yes, here’s another quiz (previous one here), which explains why I chose that picture for this…
Apostrophes in Last Names
Apostrophes in last names? Does this picture make you shudder? It should. It shows something that many folks struggle with before deciding to just follow the herd. And we all know how that turns out, especially with lemmings, right? So…
Last (?) Thoughts on Apostrophes
I decided to run these three earlier posts this morning to help those who might not have seen them the first time. Over the last few months, I have doubled my number of LI connections, and I doubt that my…
Apostrophes in Possessives
A few months ago, I published a post called “Possessive Pronouns,” focusing on pronouns such as his, hers, and ours. Those are possessives, but they do NOT include an apostrophe. Today’s group is more diverse, comprising words — including pronouns…
Forming Contractions
Good morning to you on May 18, 2015! Today’s grammar checkup involves a basic punctuation rule: using apostrophes in word and date contractions. Most of us know that we form contractions of words — usually to convey an informal tone…
Believe It or Not: Apostrophes #3
For those who saw my recent posts on the wrong usage of apostrophes, here’s another one on apostrophes, this time using them in contractions. Many of us create contractions in words without thinking, right? We often write “don’t” or “can’t”…
No Apostrophes in Plurals!
I see this time and time again: someone takes an ordinary word and adds an apostrophe and s, thinking the word is now plural. NO. That’s not the way we do it. In English, we create regular plurals of words…
Misplaced Apostrophes – Are You Guilty of This Error?
Does the picture hurt your eyes and mind? Do you recoil with horror, realizing how wrong the writer was? Unfortunately, that writer is in very good – if misguided – company. Every time I teach American grammar to my adult…