The Apostrophe '

As a child I found using an apostrophe to indicate possession very challenging, until one teacher simplified it for me by telling me to put the apostrophe after the owner /owners. So in the phrase 'the boys watch', the watch belongs to the boy, hence the boy's watch. Other phrases such as the children's toys, the girls' bags, Anne's pencil, show how easy this is. Just ask yourself "Who is the owner?" In the above examples the owner(s) is/are - the boy, the child, the girls and Anne so the apostrophe goes after them.

daisy, thank you for that brilliant way to think of the possessive its.

Re it's and its - I believe the apostrophe is left off for the possessive form, to avoid confusion with the one that is short for it is, namely it's.

But yes, let us ban the apostrophe! We must use the full forms of everything, and use the of form for possessive, like in French. Et voila - no apostophes needed!!!!

Perhaps we could ban the apostrophe from this website altogether. Probably the best way.

We laugh in the face of apostrophes!

I've just read through this thread, and noticed the difficulty with 'its' when it's possessive. As Baggy pointed out, the possessive 'its' doesn't have an apostrophe, which is confusing.

Does it help to think of possessive 'its' as being like 'his' or 'her'? Its collar, his home, her car. If 'his' or 'her' can be put in the place of 'its' and makes sense, then 'its' doesn't need an apostrophe.

I'm sticking my neck out here - a new member and being so pedantic! I am hopeless with numbers!

Mention of scalf's made me laugh and reminded me that my DD - now 35 - and her son - 2 1/2 - made the same mistake with that very word. For a short while the initial 's' was pronounced as an 'f' for some reason. When it was cold DD asked for her cosy farf and recently GS was looking for sweets -specifically a tube of 'farties'!!

local market had a sign hats, gloves and scalf's

Nice one!

Oh, Ariadne! Had to fink for a minute

Last Christmas, as we were driving through the country side, we saw lots of signs advertising "Xmas tree's", but the very best was one which said: "Xmas reef's".
Oh dear - but it was funny too!

Joan, I was reminded of this thread today when I drove past a sign which read ........ CAFE'.

It could be worse - think of those languages with accents above the letters - at least we don't have to put up with that.

I can't remember learning about apostrophes and don't know any phrases to remember them by. I know the rules but find I don't put them in sometimes, because I forget, not because I am not sure. I think it is because I am a touch typist and it slows me down and sometimes I have to go back and put them in. I think they are really important though and I wouldn't like to see them disappear!

Thanks Baggy for the clear 'its' possessive explanation. Very helpful.

Em, I feel extra foolish as I've used a smiley, or one of the other options, on loads of posts before, but today my brain froze and I kept on doing the wrong thing! Hope it's not a sign of things to come.
And thank you for your first - I'm honoured!

Well twobabes, you did make me smile. I'm not too good with these smiley things, but think it needs square brackets. Let me have a go. Whoop of joy - it worked - you have my first ever smiley (and it may be the last)

Yes, it is me - didn't use correct key.

Nope, def not me. I'll stop trying to smile. It's obviously not meant to be.

Think my keyboard is jinxed. Or maybe, just maybe, it's me. Third time lucky? smile

Oops! Forgot my smile asterisks last time. smile

Agree, twobabes. Maybe I'm just becoming even more aware of the fact that so many adults do this. I was more ready to accept it in younger children as part of the learning process. It shows we can't be too smug about teaching grammar a few years ago after all. Clearly, at least some of the time, we didn't get through then either.

em, that apostrophe before any final s is not new! It was rife in pupils' work, and in notes from parents, when I started teaching in the 60s and it remains persistent. Must admit that I enjoy teaching the correct use and seeing the light dawn, particularly with adults who thought they'd never get it. smile

During my teaching life, I occasionally whipped out a red pen or a stick of chalk and make a correction on a board outside a shop. It made no difference subsequently but I felt satisfyingly smug.

I have actually rubbed one out! But I'm afraid that something happens on here to my grammar and spelling, and I don't often have the patience to check it. I feel I'm not alone on this. Please em don't send this back with corrections!

Jacey I never have but have been so tempted! However, when teaching, I felt obliged to point out errors like this when they appeared on the boards of young teachers, in notes from the school office or in the drafts of HT's newsletters!! Sorry, I'll just scurry back to Pedants' corner.