Anyone out there that could explain to me an easier way to figure out how to place an apostrophes in the right way. I dont understand how to place the outside apotrophies. Ex: girls'
2007-01-15 07:02:44 · 11 answers · asked by lv2bnpr 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
girls' when there is a lot of girls that have possession of something
girl's when its one girl that has a possession of something
Ex: The girls' PURSES WERE stolen
Ex2: The girl's PURSE WAS stolen.
2007-01-15 07:07:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Apostrophes are used in two ways. One is in contractions to indicate something is missing, e.g. "don't" for do not. You seem to be interested in the other usage with is to show the possessive, i.e. someone, something has something else. Figure out what it is which has something then put the apostrophe after it. If the thing is singular, in general it gets an s after the apostrophe. In general, if it ends in an s already it does not. So the dog belonging to the girl is the girl's dog. But if two sisters share ownership of a dog it is the girls' dog. Also, Sally's dog (Sally does not end in an s) but James' dog (usually, though some people use James's dog). The annoying one is it's & its. It's is 'it is" and its is the possessive (belonging to it). You just have to remember that.
There is more to it than that but 99% of anything you will encounter is taken care of by this.
2007-01-15 07:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by CanProf 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Normally you would place an outside apostrophe after a plural noun--in your example, girls' would be correct if you mean "the books of the girls" for "the girls' books." However, if you are talking about just one girl, it would be "the girl's books." I like to use the "of the" method for determining where to put the apostrophe: "the Smiths' house" becomes "the house of the Smiths," or "Bobby's dog" becomes "the dog of Bobby." You might want to check out some of the Online Writing Labs (OWLS) available for free all over the Web.
2007-01-15 07:14:39 · answer #3 · answered by Tony 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
'Outside' apostrophes are used when the word ends in s - you would write girls', rather than girls's. They are used to show belonging, for example Jess' shoes. It might help to remember that apostrophes are often (but not always) used to show belonging, ie Jennifer's shoes or James' shoes, both show that the shoes belong to the person, James' is just on the outside because his name ends in an s.
The cardinal apostrophe sin, I feel, is when places like shops or restaurants, who really should check before they print, stick in an extra apostrophe when its not meant to be there like sandwiche's or drink's. If its a plural like that there's no need for an apostrophe.
And yes I am a grumpy old woman to be bugged by these things!
2007-01-15 07:22:06 · answer #4 · answered by jobby1111 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An apostrophe is used in the place of missing letters (as in contractions like don't or wouldn't). It is also used to demonstrate possession (as in the girl's coat or Mike's car). The exception to the possession rule is when using the pronoun it. "The car flipped on its top" would not contain an apostophe but "It's going to rain" would (because the apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter in the contraction for it is).
Get it?
2007-01-15 07:12:00 · answer #5 · answered by Goofy Foot 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
only place the outside apostrophe if the original word is plural, or ends in an "s"..
IE the ball owned by two girls would be the girls' ball.
orthe ball is used by two girls.
Make sense? Hope I helped
2007-01-15 07:07:17 · answer #6 · answered by Mike G 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the word occurs in singular and plural, you put the apostrophe before the 's' on a singular and after the 's' on a plural:
One girl:
"All of the girl's pairs of shoes were lined up."
More than one girl:
"All of the girls' pairs of shoes were lined up."
If the word only occurs in plural (such as "children"), put the apostrophe before the 's':
"The children's shoes were lined up."
2007-01-15 07:09:29 · answer #7 · answered by Gen•X•er (I love zombies!) 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I actual have said it, too. each and anytime i take advantage of my iPod contact to kind something on Y!A featuring citation marks or apostrophes, it exhibits up on my pc as gibberish ("e; operating example). i truly do not recognize why apostrophes and citation marks do not take position properly, yet I agree...it truly is amazingly stressful.
2016-11-24 19:33:51 · answer #8 · answered by schook 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need and outside ' for plurals like girls (it is the girls' bathroom) meaning it belongs to more than one girl.you use an inside ' for singular--It is a girl's bedroom--it belong's to only one girl.
2007-01-15 07:08:11 · answer #9 · answered by boysmom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it is more than one girl and shows possession, it is like you have it: That is my two girls' room. (they share one room)
That is my girl's room. (only one girl in the room)
2007-01-15 07:09:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋