The Apostrophe
A complete A2 guide to the apostrophe — how to form contractions, show possession with singular and plural nouns, and avoid common mistakes like its vs. it's and your vs. you're.
What an Apostrophe Does
The apostrophe (') is a small punctuation mark with two main jobs:
| Job | Example |
|---|---|
| A. Form a contraction (a short form) | I am → I'm |
| B. Show possession (something belongs to someone) | Maria's book |
This lesson covers both, plus the most common apostrophe mistakes in English.
A. Contractions
A contraction is a short form of two words joined together. The apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
Common Contractions
| Long form | Contraction |
|---|---|
| I am | I'm |
| you are | you're |
| he is / he has | he's |
| she is / she has | she's |
| it is / it has | it's |
| we are | we're |
| they are | they're |
| do not | don't |
| does not | doesn't |
| did not | didn't |
| is not | isn't |
| are not | aren't |
| was not | wasn't |
| were not | weren't |
| will not | won't (irregular) |
| cannot | can't |
| have not | haven't |
| has not | hasn't |
| would | 'd (I'd, she'd) |
| will | 'll (I'll, we'll) |
| have | 've (we've, they've) |
Note:
won'tis irregular — it is a contraction ofwill notbut does not look like one.
Where the Apostrophe Goes
The apostrophe replaces the missing letters, not the space.
| Long | Contraction | Letters removed |
|---|---|---|
do not | don't | the o in not |
we are | we're | the a in are |
I have | I've | the ha in have |
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
do'nt | don't |
is'nt | isn't |
wo'nt | won't |
When to Use Contractions
Contractions are informal. Use them in conversation, friendly emails, and personal writing. In formal essays, business letters, and academic work, use the full form.
| Casual | Formal |
|---|---|
I'm not sure. | I am not sure. |
It doesn't work. | It does not work. |
B. Showing Possession
Add an apostrophe (and sometimes an s) to a noun to show that something belongs to it.
Singular Nouns: Add 's
Maria's book (the book belongs to Maria)
my dog's tail
the city's history
the sun's heat
This works even if the singular noun ends in s. Both 's and ' alone are accepted, but 's is more common in modern English.
Chris's car (or Chris' car)
James's idea (or James' idea)
Plural Nouns Ending in s: Add Just '
my parents' house (the house belongs to my parents)
the students' books (the books belong to the students — more than one student)
the dogs' bowls (more than one dog)
Plural Nouns NOT Ending in s: Add 's
These follow the same rule as singular nouns.
| Plural | Possessive |
|---|---|
| children | children's toys |
| men | men's clothing |
| women | women's rights |
| people | people's opinions |
Singular vs. Plural Possession at a Glance
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
the dog's bone | one dog |
the dogs' bones | more than one dog |
the child's shoe | one child |
the children's shoes | more than one child |
C. Joint vs. Separate Possession
When two people share something, put 's only on the second name.
Anna and Tom's house (they share one house)
When they each own their own thing, put 's on both.
Anna's and Tom's books (each has their own books)
Common Mistakes
it's vs. its
This is the most common apostrophe mistake in English.
| Word | Meaning | Test |
|---|---|---|
it's | it is or it has | replace with it is / it has and see if it makes sense |
its | belonging to it (like his, her) | no it is substitution possible |
It's a beautiful day. (= It is a beautiful day.) ✓
The cat licked its paws. (= belonging to the cat — no apostrophe) ✓
Possessive pronouns (
its,his,hers,theirs,yours,ours) never take an apostrophe.
your vs. you're
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
your | belonging to you (followed by a noun) |
you're | you are |
Your bag is heavy. (the bag belongs to you)
You're late. (= You are late.)
their / there / they're
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
their | belonging to them |
there | in that place |
they're | they are |
Their car is red. (belongs to them)
The car is over there. (in that place)
They're driving home. (they are driving)
whose vs. who's
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
whose | belonging to whom |
who's | who is / who has |
Whose bag is this? (= belonging to whom)
Who's coming? (= Who is coming?)
Don’t Use Apostrophes for Plurals
A plural noun ending in s does not take an apostrophe.
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
apple's are on sale | apples are on sale |
The 1990's were great. | The 1990s were great. |
Two banana's, please. | Two bananas, please. |
This error is sometimes called the “grocer’s apostrophe” because it appears so often on shop signs.
Quick Reference
| Situation | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Contraction | ' for missing letters | don't, it's, we'll |
| Singular possession | 's | Maria's book, the dog's tail |
Plural ending in s | ' | the dogs' bones, my parents' house |
Plural not ending in s | 's | children's toys, men's clothing |
| Joint possession | 's on second name | Anna and Tom's house |
| Possessive pronoun | no apostrophe | its, yours, theirs, whose |
| Plural noun | no apostrophe | apples, 1990s, bananas |
Practice: Exercises
Which is the correct contraction of 'do not'?
Summary
The apostrophe has two main uses: contractions (I'm, don't, it's) and possession (Maria's book, the dogs' bones).
For singular nouns, add 's: the cat's bowl. For plural nouns ending in s, add just ': my parents' car. For plural nouns not ending in s, add 's: children's toys.
Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe: its, yours, hers, theirs, ours, whose.
Plural nouns never take an apostrophe: apples, 1990s, two coffees. The “grocer’s apostrophe” is one of the most common errors in English.
When unsure about it's vs. its or you're vs. your, try replacing the word with the long form (it is, you are). If it fits, use the apostrophe.