Apostrophes
The apostrophe is a small detail of punctuation, but it has the power to change the meaning of a word. So, it is necessary to know how to use it. The rules governing the apostrophe are few and simple ... with a few exceptions to remember.
Simply put, the apostrophe is used to communicate two things -
- Possession - added to a noun or a name, it indicates 'belonging to'
- Missing letter(s) - when words are abbreviated, an apostrophe indicates where a letter or letter has been missed out
Let us look at these rules in more detail. (You may wish to project the explanations below.)
Possession
To add " 's' " to a noun or a name is a shorter way of indicating 'belonging to'
For example:
John's telephone = the telephone that belongs to John
the aircraft's wing = the wing that is part of the aircraft
Missing letter(s)
In the use of English, words are often cut short by missing out letters and so sounds. Apostrophes are used, then, to show that a letter or letters are missing.
This is particularly true when writing down the spoken word - to show how people really pronounce, and to reflect varieties such as dialect.
Missing out letters/sounds changes the register of the language - it makes the variety of English sound more informal or personal, as opposed to the more formal effect of 'correct' spelling.
For example:
"I'll be at home" - instead of "I will be at home"
"They're having fun" - instead of "they are having fun"
Exceptions
1. its & it's ... in order to make meaning clear, the rule is as follows -
its = possession i.e. 'belonging to'
it's = missing letter i.e.'it is'
2. double 's' ? ... A problem arises when the name or noun ends in an 's' - can one add another 's' to show possession? Some people feel that yes, the rule should be followed - but others feel that this may sound ugly, having two 's' sounds together.
In the second case, normal practice is to simply put in an apostrophe after the 's' that ends the name or noun (which indicates both possession and a missing letter 's')
For example, which sounds better? ...
Mr Jones's house ...OR... Mr Jones' house
There is no general agreement about this issue. Myself, I would follow the second option - don't put in a second 's', but do put in the apostrophe.
Texts for discussion
Here are two texts which should help students to understand how apostrophes are used in practice (or not) ... and perhaps help them to remember the issue rather better.
Harris'(s)
The selection of Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate caused the 'double-s' issue to be raised. This extract from an article in the Guardian presents a range of arguments for and against, and so is a useful overview.
Ask the students to make notes, summarising the main points for and against when an apostrophe should be used - then discuss.
Handout
Apostrophe Harris Yorkshire apostrophe
This article raises two useful areas for discussion. Firstly, whether apostrophes are useful or not; indeed, will they disappear? And secondly, the status and importance of dialects, in this case, the Yorkshire dialect - should we respect and conserve them, and if so, how should they be written?
Handout
Here are the questions in the handout. I provide expected answers - click on the little icon below each.
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What does “Gerrit in t’bin” mean in standard English? (Try speaking it aloud)
'Get it in the bin' (as in rubbish in a litter bin)
Why, according to the article, is “Gerrit in’t bin” not a correct use of apostrophe, and “Gerrit in t’bin” is correct?
Because the letters that have been missed out are the 'he' from 'the bin'. Commonly in Yorkshire dialect, 'the' is shortened to just the sound of 't'
What is the difference between ‘rules’ and ‘conventions’ (l.25)
'rules' apply to permanent, general requirements, considered as 'grammar rules' - whereas 'conventions' are more variable patterns of usage, and may change due to fashion or custom
What does McMillan mean by “cultural and linguistic levelling up” (ll.31-32) ?
Not very clear, but inferring from the context, it presumably means something like 'the culture of those lower in society taking over from the culture of those higher' (e.g. the reference to the royal family)
General questions
These are very general topics for exploration. Find out what the students know, feed that knowledge, and then get them to think about the implications of such ideas.
What is a ‘dialect’?
How is a dialect different from an ‘accent’?
How do dialects develop?
Why do people think that dialects are important?
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More about Yorkshire...
You could have a look at the blog Dialects - which has some transcript plus a lively video of the Yorkshire anthem 'Ilkla Moor Baht'at'
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