how to use an apostrophe to show possession for singular and plural nouns and to form contractions.
To use an apostrophe to show possession for singular and plural nouns:
1. Singular Possessive Nouns:
- For singular nouns, simply add an apostrophe followed by an "s" at the end of the noun.
Example: The dog's bone.
2. Plural Possessive Nouns:
- For regular plural nouns that end in "s," add an apostrophe after the "s" without adding an additional "s".
Example: The dogs' bones.
- For irregular plural nouns that do not end in "s," add an apostrophe followed by an "s" at the end of the noun.
Example: The children's toys.
To use an apostrophe to form contractions:
- A contraction is a shortened form of two words, where one or more letters are replaced by an apostrophe to indicate the missing letters.
- For example:
- "I am" becomes "I'm" (the letter "a" is omitted).
- "It is" becomes "It's" (the letter "i" is omitted).
- "Do not" becomes "Don't" (the letters "o" and "o" are omitted).
Keep in mind that contractions are most commonly used in informal writing or dialogue. In formal writing, it is generally recommended to use the full form of the words instead of contractions.