The RIA's Simple Guide To Apostrophes Hot
1. An apostrophe is most commonly used as a possessive for one person or
thing. In this case, add ‘s whether or not the word ends in s:
Sheryl’s project
The copy machine’s problems
The business’s customers
2. For the possessive of more than one person or thing not ending in s, add ‘s.
Children’s education
The media’s attention
3. For the possessive of more than one person or thing ending in s, add ‘ only:
Workers’ income
Employees’ bonus trip
4. For compound words, add ‘s only to the last word:
The brother-in-law’s business
Somebody else’s fault
5. The apostrophe is also used for contractions. A contraction is an abbreviation for two words, as follows:
It’s a girl. (It is a girl.)
You’re wonderful. (You are wonderful.)
6. The apostrophe is also used for plurals or letters or numbers only if it doesn’t make sense without it:
CPAs
Do’s and don’ts
6’s
7. The word “it”: “It’s” means “it is.” “Its” means the possessive of “it.” For
example:
Its toes
It’s happening