apostrophe s
Shows something belongs
Apostrophe s ('s) marks possession in English: the dog's bowl, Maria's car, yesterday's news.
It also contracts "is" or "has": She's here, He's been waiting.
Context usually clarifies which is meant.
For plural nouns already ending in s, only the apostrophe follows: the dogs' bowls.
Whether singular names ending in s take 's or just an apostrophe varies by style: James's book or James' book.
- possessiveOverly attached, often toxically
- possessive caseForm showing ownership
- ownershipLegal right of possession
- contractionReduction in size
- punctuationWritten clarity symbols
grammar · grammar rules · belonging · genitive · omission · shortened · it's · don't · cannot · plural · plural nouns · noun · pronoun · mark · English · writing · typo · greengrocer's
- apostrophe errorMisused floating comma
- grocer's apostrophe
- apostrophe usePunctuation for contractions, possession
- apostrophe misuseIncorrect placement of punctuation mark