Practice
Apostrophes: possession, contractions, and common errors
Sign in to saveA small apostrophe can change the job of a word. In the manager's office, it shows who owns the office. In don't, it shows letters that are missing. The same mark does not make a normal plural.
Use apostrophes for possession and contractions, and avoid adding them to ordinary plurals or possessive pronouns.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The children's coats are by the door. /ðə ˈtʃɪldrənz kəʊts ɑː baɪ ðə dɔː/
The short answer
Use an apostrophe plus s for one owner, and after s for most plural owners. Use an apostrophe in contractions such as we're. Do not add one to ordinary plurals such as emails or to possessive pronouns such as yours.
The pharmacist's advice was useful.
Why it works: The apostrophe plus s shows that the advice belongs to one pharmacist.
5 more examples
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The doctor's appointment starts at noon.
One doctor has the appointment, so the possessive form uses apostrophe plus s.
Not this:The
doctors'appointments start at noon. What changes: Several doctors have appointments. The apostrophe comes after the plural s. -
The children's coats are by the door.
Children is already plural and does not end in s, so add apostrophe plus s for possession.
Not this:The
childrenleft their coats by the door. What changes: This simply names more than one child. It does not show ownership, so it has no apostrophe. -
We're meeting outside the station.
We're is a contraction of we are. The apostrophe marks the missing letter a.
Not this:
Wereyou waiting outside the station? What changes: Were is a past-tense verb here. It is not a contraction and has no apostrophe. -
It's time to check the train platform.
It's means it is in this sentence.
Not this:The train changed
itsplatform. What changes: Its is a possessive pronoun. Possessive pronouns do not use an apostrophe. -
The shop sells fresh tomatoes.
Tomatoes is an ordinary plural, so it ends in s without an apostrophe.
Not this:The
tomato'sskin is smooth. What changes: This means the skin belongs to one tomato. The apostrophe changes the meaning from plural to possession.
Read the full guide
Look at the word after the apostrophe. If it names the owner, you are probably making a possessive noun. If it is part of a shortened form such as she is or they have, you are probably making a contraction. Those are different jobs, so use the meaning to choose the form.
Find the owner first
A possessive noun tells you who owns or is connected with something. Start by asking whose. If the answer is one person or one thing, add apostrophe plus s to that noun.
The artist's studio is near the river.
One artist owns or uses the studio.
The artists' studio is near the river.
Several artists share the studio, so the apostrophe follows the plural s.
Choose the correct form for one customer: the customer or the customer's receipt.
Use the customer's receipt. The receipt belongs to one customer.
Place the apostrophe in plural possessives
Most plural nouns already end in s. When several people or things own something, add only an apostrophe after that final s. An irregular plural such as people, women, or children needs apostrophe plus s because it does not end in s.
The teachers' meeting begins at four.
The meeting belongs to several teachers.
The women's changing room is downstairs.
Women is an irregular plural, so it takes apostrophe plus s.
Complete the phrase for books that belong to several children: the children books.
Write the children's books. Children is plural but does not end in s.
Use contractions when the words are shortened
A contraction combines words and leaves out one or more letters. The apostrophe marks the gap. Common examples include I'm, we're, don't, hasn't, and you'll. In formal writing, a full form can be a better fit when your style requires it.
I can't stay after the class.
Can't is the shortened form of cannot.
They've already booked the room.
They've is the shortened form of they have.
Choose the contraction for we are ready.
Use we're ready. The apostrophe marks the omitted a in are.
Separate it's from its
It's always means it is or it has. Its is the possessive form of it. This feels unusual because most possessive nouns use an apostrophe, but possessive pronouns do not.
It's been a busy afternoon.
It's means it has in this sentence.
The company changed its opening hours.
Its shows that the opening hours belong to the company.
Choose the correct word: The phone has lost its or it's signal.
Use its signal. The word shows possession, not it is or it has.
Keep ordinary plurals plain
An apostrophe does not make a word plural. Write invoices, photos, menus, and weekends without one when you simply mean more than one. Add an apostrophe only if the plural noun owns something.
The cafe has three menus.
Menus is a simple plural, so it has no apostrophe.
The cafes' menus list vegetarian dishes.
The menus belong to several cafes, so this is a plural possessive.
Correct this phrase when you mean more than one photo: holiday photo's.
Write holiday photos. There is no possession in this phrase.
Before you go
Remember this
Use apostrophes for two clear jobs: possession and contractions. Check whether there is one owner, several owners, or an irregular plural before placing the mark. Do not use an apostrophe for a plain plural or a possessive pronoun such as hers, ours, or theirs.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Apostrophes: possession, contractions, and common errors"
When do I use apostrophe plus s?
Use apostrophe plus s with one owner, as in the pharmacist's advice. It also follows an irregular plural that does not end in s, as in the children's coats.
The doctor's appointment starts at noon.
Where does the apostrophe go in a plural possessive?
For a regular plural ending in s, put the apostrophe after s. The doctors' appointments means appointments belonging to several doctors.
The doctors' appointments start at noon.
Why do contractions use an apostrophe?
A contraction joins words and leaves out one or more letters. In we're, the apostrophe marks the missing a from we are.
The children's coats are by the door.
What is the difference between its and it's?
It's means it is or it has. Its is a possessive pronoun, as in The train changed its platform.
The children left their coats by the door.
Should ordinary plurals have an apostrophe?
No. An ordinary plural such as tomatoes, menus, or receipts does not need an apostrophe. Add one only when the plural noun shows possession.
We're meeting outside the station.