Question 1

When do I use an apostrophe?

Accepted Answer

An apostrophe does two jobs. It shows an owner: Riya's bag, the dog's bowl. And it shows missing letters: don't (do not), I'm (I am), it's (it is). If nothing is owned and no letters are missing - the word just means more than one - use no apostrophe: two apples, three bags. That is the whole test for most sentences.

Question 2

Its or it's?

Accepted Answer

It's always means it is or it has: It's raining. It's been a long day. Its, with no apostrophe, means belonging to it: The dog wagged its tail. Test it by saying it is in its place. If the sentence still makes sense, write it's; if not, write its. Its works like his and hers, which never take an apostrophe.

Question 3

Where does the apostrophe go for plural owners?

Accepted Answer

Write the plural first, then add the mark. If the plural ends in s, add only an apostrophe: one girl's room, two girls' room; the teachers' staffroom. If the plural does not end in s, add 's: the children's park, the women's team, the people's choice. Never write childrens' - children is already plural.

Question 4

James's or James'?

Accepted Answer

Both are used. The Chicago Manual of Style and most British styles write James's, matching how most people say it (James-iz). AP news style writes James'. Neither is wrong, so choose one and keep it the same throughout. Plural family names follow the plural rule: the Joneses' house (the house of the Jones family).

Question 5

Your or you're?

Accepted Answer

You're means you are: You're late. Your means belonging to you: Is this your bag? Test it by saying you are in its place. You are late makes sense, so write you're. Is this you are bag does not, so write your. The apostrophe in you're marks the missing letter a.

Question 6

Their, there or they're?

Accepted Answer

They're means they are: They're coming now. Their means belonging to them: their books. There means a place, or starts a sentence: Put it there. There is a problem. Test they're by saying they are in its place. If it is about something they own, use their; for anywhere else, use there.

Question 7

Do plurals take an apostrophe?

Accepted Answer

No. A plain plural owns nothing and loses no letters, so it takes no apostrophe: two mangoes, the 1990s, three DVDs, many MPs. Mango's for sale is a common error on signs. The few exceptions are lowercase letters (mind your p's and q's), where an apostrophe stops the reader from misreading the word.

Question 8

How do I punctuate dialogue?

Accepted Answer

Put the exact spoken words inside quotation marks. Start the speech with a capital letter. Put the speech's own comma, question mark or exclamation mark inside the closing mark: "Come in," said Mum. For split speech, use a comma after the tag and a small letter: "If you hurry," said Nani, "you'll catch it." Start a new paragraph for each new speaker.

Question 9

Does the comma go inside or outside the quotation marks?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the style. American style puts commas and full stops inside the closing mark always: She called it "brilliant." British logical style puts them inside only when they belong to the quoted words: She called it 'brilliant'. Both are correct. In dialogue, both styles put the speech's own comma inside. Colons and semicolons go outside in both.

Question 10

Single or double quotation marks?

Accepted Answer

Both are correct. Many British publishers use single marks first, with double for a quote inside a quote: 'He shouted "Stop!" and ran,' said Mei. American and Indian school usage is double first, with single inside: "He shouted 'Stop!' and ran," said Mei. Follow your school, publisher or style guide, and keep one system throughout.

Question 11

1990s or 1990's?

Accepted Answer

Write the 1990s: a plural takes no apostrophe. The shortened form is the '90s, where the apostrophe marks the missing 19; it is informal. The 1990's is widely treated as non-standard by major style guides. The same goes for abbreviations: DVDs, MPs, the ABCs. Lowercase letters keep an apostrophe for clarity: mind your p's and q's.

Question 12

Whose or who's?

Accepted Answer

Who's means who is or who has: Who's at the door? Who's taken my pen? Whose asks or tells who owns something: Whose bag is this? The girl whose kite flew away. Test it by saying who is or who has in its place. If the sentence works, write who's; if not, write whose.

Question 13

How do I show that something belongs to one person?

Accepted Answer

Add an apostrophe and s to the owner's name or word: Riya's bag, the cat's bowl, Dadi's shawl, my brother's bike. The apostrophe comes straight after the owner, before the s. Ask who owns it. If one person or thing owns it, write 's. Words that already end in s can take 's too: the bus's door.

Question 14

Where does the apostrophe go in a contraction?

Accepted Answer

Put it exactly where the letters are missing, not where the words join. Do not becomes don't (the o is missing). I am becomes I'm, cannot becomes can't, she will becomes she'll, they have becomes they've. Will not becomes won't, which changes its spelling. Say the full words to check where the gap is.

Question 15

What are speech marks?

Accepted Answer

Speech marks (also called quotation marks or inverted commas) go round the exact words someone says: "I'm hungry," said Kabir. Only the spoken words go inside. The words that tell you who is speaking, such as said Kabir, stay outside. If you are not writing the exact words, you do not need speech marks.

How do apostrophes and quotation marks work?