When to Use an
Apostrophe
An apostrophe can be used for two different reasons in writing; for
contraction or to show possession.
Apostrophes are not used when changing a singular noun to a plural.
Click below to find out more.
Apostrophes Apostrophes
for to show
contraction possession
Apostrophes for
Contraction
Apostrophes can be used when two words come together.
The apostrophe shows that letters have been removed.
Let’s take a look:
do not don’t
he will he’ll
should
should’ve
have
Try Can you work out the contraction for these words?
Where does the apostrophe go?
these… Click on the box to see if you were right.
it will it’ll
did not didn’t
could have could’ve
can not can’t
she is she’s
Apostrophes to Show Possession -
Singular
One of the ways to use an apostrophe is to show in our writing that
something belongs to or is owned by someone or something.
Singular possession is when you are writing about something belonging
to one person or thing.
When using singular possession the apostrophe comes before the final
‘s’.
Let’s take a look:
Here are Ben’s Katie’s car broke My sister’s
shoes. down at the side birthday is next
The shoes belong of road. month.
to Ben so you add The car belongs to The birthday belongs
an apostrophe to Katie so you add an to the writer’s sister
show possession. apostrophe to show so you add an
possession. apostrophe to show
possession.
Try Can you identify where to include an apostrophe
to show possession?
these… Click the sentence to see if you were right.
Sallys favourite day Sally’s favourite day
of the week is Friday. of the week is Friday.
Do not sit on the Do not sit on the
teachers chair. teacher’s chair.
I watered my I watered my
neighbours plants neighbour’s plants
while she was away. while she was away.
Apostrophes to Show Possession
- Plural
Plural possession is when you are writing about something belonging to
or being owned by more than one person or thing.
When using plural possession, the apostrophe comes after the final ‘s’.
Let’s take a look:
The girls’ football boots The boys’ bags were in
are all dirty. the playground.
The football boots belong to a The bags belong to a group
group of girls so you add an of boys so you add an
apostrophe to show apostrophe to show
possession. The apostrophe possession. The apostrophe
after the ‘s’ shows there is after the ‘s’ shows there is
more than one girl. more than one boy.
Apostrophes to Show Possession
- Plural
There are some exceptions to when you add the apostrophe after an ‘s’
for
plural possession.
This is when the plural of the noun changes in some way (an irregular
plural).
In this case the apostrophe is added before thechildren’s
The ‘s’. work was
Singular Plural
displayed on the wall.
The work belongs to a group
child children of children so you add an
apostrophe to show
possession. The apostrophe
mouse mice goes before the ‘s’ as
children is an irregular plural.
woman women
Try Can you identify where to include an
apostrophe
these… to show possession? Should the apostrophe
be
added before or after the ‘s’?
Click the sentence to see if you were right.
Remember to get your Remember to get your
parents permission for parents’ permission
the school trip next for the school trip next
week. week.
The teams strips were The teams’ strips
blue and yellow. were blue and yellow.
The women’s
The womens changing
changing room at the
room at the pool
pool
was busy.
was busy.
