Here are the answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about apostrophes. Where should I put the apostrophe when a name ends in “s”? Is it "James” or “James's"? As a first name, bothJames’andJames’scan be correct, depending on the style guide you use.Associated Pr...
Using an apostrophe to word ending in "s" can be tricky. Using an apostrophe after the "s" at the end of a word usually occurs when trying to add possession to a noun. Adding another "s" after the apostrophe can look awkward if the word already ends with the letter. Using an ...
Apostrophe always addresses its object in the second person. Sometimes this address involves the word "you" or the more formal "thou." Other times the "you" is not included, as when the narrator of Herman Melville's storyBartleby, the Scrivenerends his tale with the despairing apostrophe: "...
When using an apostrophe to show possession, the first thing to check is whether the possessor (i.e., the noun that will become a possessive noun) already ends -s. If the word is singular, then it will probably not end -s, but it might (e.g., "Moses"). If the word is plural...
When the noun is plural and ends in an s, the apostrophe is simply added to the end of the word, with nothing else. Owners + ’ For instance: The houses’ roofs The Ryders’ caravan The horses’ hooves When the noun is plural but does not end in an s, the apostrophe is adde...
grammatical rules in English. Just add "-s", unless the name ends in "-s" or"-x", in which case, you add "-es" (The Joneses, The Marxes). <aside> Goggle Toolbar's spell checker wantedto change"Marxes" to "Marx's", among other non sequiturs, such as "Marx es". I...
You can also place an apostrophe after the letter S when a proper singular noun ends in S. Depending on your grammar resource or style guide, you may need to add an additional S after the apostrophe. Both are grammatically correct, but some resources recommend one way or the other. ...
Justice Thomas, whose name ends with an S, seems to favor AP style, which recommends leaving off the extra S. AP style is Kansas’ Chicago Manual of Style Apostrophe Rules Justice Souter seems to prefer the recommendations of The Chicago Manual of Style, which says to add the apostrophe-S...
The rule for singular nouns holds, regardless of how the name ends. So, "Jess's pencil" is the proper way to write about the pencil that belongs to Jess.Form the Plural PossessiveIf the owner is plural, look at the last letter of the word. Does it end in "s"? If so, just add...
What do you do with the apostrophe when you’re talking about things that belong to more than one person? When one thing belongs to two or more people jointly, make only the final name possessive: Bob and Jim’s bait shop (Bob and Jim co-own a bait shop.) Ryan, Jessica, and Elinor...