apostrophe.pps

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Capital Community College

THE MIGHTY APOSTROPHE

The apostrophe has only a handful of

uses, but these uses are very

important. A misplaced apostrophe

can be annoying not to mentionlonely.

1. to create possessives

2. to show contractions

3. to create some plural forms

The apostrophe is used:


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The apostrophe is used to create

possessive formsfor singular and

plural nouns, especially nouns

referring to people.

the mayors car, my fathers moustache

Pedritossister, Joe Kennedys habits
http://cctc.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar/possessives.htmhttp://cctc.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar/possessives.htm


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When a noun already ends in s, you

can decide whether or not to use

another s after the apostrophe.

Charless car ORCharlescar

Dumassecond novel, Jesusbirth,

Socratesideas, Illinoislegislature

With multisyllabic words, dont add another s

after the apostrophe.


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To form the possessive of an inanimate

object, were usually better off using an

of phrase, but the apostrophe

possessive is not impossible, especially

with expressions of time and in

personifications.

The roar of the greasepaint,

the smell of the crowd

a years salary, my hearts desire, your

dollars worth, the papers conclusion


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To form the possessive of a plural noun, wepluralize first and then add the apostrophe.

The KennedyshouseThe childrens playhouse

The travelersexpectationsNotice that with an irregular plural, the apostrophe

will come before the s.


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A contraction allows us to blend sounds byomitting letters from a verb construction. The

apostrophe shows where something is left out.

I am a student here = Ima student here.

I have been working on the railroad. = Ivebeen working on the railroad.

They could have been great together. = They

couldve been great together.


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More contraction examples:

Let us go. = Lets go.

Who is there? = Whos there?

It is Dierdre. = Its Dierdre.REMINDER: Its is a contraction for it is;

the possessive of it = its (no apostrophe).




The apostrophe is also used to form theplural of digits and letters . . .

The word Mississippi has fourss.

She got three As and two Bs last semester.

She dotted all her is very carefully.

. . . and to indicate omission of a number in a

date:summer of 99; class of 38




The mighty apostrophe doesnt mind

being used, but it wants to be used

wisely.

Use it well and it will be there whenever

you need it!

You can now review the apostrophe and the

other marks of punctuation in the

Guide to Grammar and Writing.
http://cctc.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar/marks.htmhttp://cctc.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar/marks.htm



This PowerPoint presentation was created by

Charles Darling, PhD

Professor of English and Webmaster

Capital Community CollegeHartford, Connecticut

copyright November !!!
http://cctc.commnet.edu/

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