| Grammatically Correct 10/5/04 A weekly grammar tip created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors. |
|
| Showing Possession with Apostrophes by Shawn Brett |
|
| Using an apostrophe to show ownership can sometimes
be a tricky task; however, properly showing possession with an apostrophe
can greatly improve the clarity of your sentences.
When showing possession using a singular word, add ’s to the end--even if it already ends in s. Ex: The man’s hat blew off in the gusty wind. **Note: Sometimes it may be more “pleasing” to use only an apostrophe. For example, “Texas’s capital” (a triple s sound) may appear awkward to some when compared to “Texas’ capital.” Both ways are considered correct, but be consistent in your writing. Add ’s to the plural form of a word that normally does not end with an s. Ex: The children’s room was completely filthy. Add an apostrophe to the end of plural nouns that end in s. Ex: The families’ homes were all destroyed. For family names, pluralize the name first and then simply add an apostrophe. Ex: The Smiths' car was stolen last week. (plural of Smith is Smiths) Add an ’s to the end of compound words. Ex: My sister-in-law’s cell phone is never working correctly. Add an ’s to the last noun to show joint possession. Ex: Mike and Stacey’s daughter has just started school. Do NOT use an apostrophe to show possession for any pronoun. Ex: Although the water appeared calm, its current was extremely
strong. |
|
| Recommended Grammar Website of the Week by Shawn Brett |
|
| In addition to our own
website, this week we recommend 11
Rules of Writing. This is an interactive guide to correcting the
eleven most common writing mistakes. This site also contains some additional
features
such
as a word of the day and links to some other useful writing resources.
Visit 11 Rules for Writing at http://www.junketstudies.com/rulesofw/ |
|
| Test Your Knowledge by Shawn Brett |
|
| Test your understanding by correcting the following sentences.
1. Since this country is a democracy, it's policies are supposed to be determined by what its people want. 2. Dave’s and Brenda’s childrens’ toys are scattered all over the floor. 3. My dog did not destroy you’re garden, it must have been someone elses dog.
1. Since this country is a democracy, its policies are supposed to be determined by what its people want. 2. Dave and Brenda’s children’s toys are scattered all over the floor. 3. My dog did not destroy your garden; it must have been someone else’s
dog. |
|
Grammatically Correct is a grammar tip of the week created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors at the University of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas. Comments about this newsletter should be directed to Summer Leibensperger, leibenspergers@uhv.edu. Subscribe/Unsubscribe/View Archive
|
|