Apostrophes can do some clever things to show us the true meaning of what somebody is saying.
But they have a horrid name.
Shall we call them something different? What about an apo?
This is how you use an apo:-
1. Ownership
Apos are used for ownership, so you know who something belongs to.
The rule is that you add the apo to the end of the name.
Example: This is Dave's pencil.
There is one chap called Dave and he has a pencil.
If something belongs to more than one person, you simply add the apo to the end of that name.
Example: The smelly socks belonged to the boys.
They were the boys' smelly socks.
Example: The flags belong to the people.
They are the people's flags.
2. When you miss out a letter
Apos can also be used when you miss out a letter from a word.
Example: You have made up a new game.
You've made up a new game.
(The apo has been used instead of the 'ha').
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Apos look just the same as little marks called inverted commas, which are single quotation marks that are for quoting a particular phrase that someone has used.
Example: The man bought a new red Mini.
He called it his 'little runaround'.
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A common mis-use of the apo is when people think that they have to use it for a plural, when they have more than one thing.
Example: This is one of my welly boots.
The plural is:- I am wearing two wellies.
Just think, that if Devon County Council really bans the use of apos, as in this article, there will be mis-spellings of plural words, and nobody will know if there was one baker or more than one baker who had a nice view!
For the record, for history, for understanding, for communication, this does matter.
With thanks to @BunkyBowers for highlighting the article quoted herewith.
Keren.
