Wielding the apostrophe
Image: Brian Snelson (cc)
No single element of English usage produces such passionate outbursts as the correct use of the apostrophe. The commonest targets of grammarian wrath in this respect are greengrocers and signwriters – probably because their work is always on public display. Most of our own crimes against the apostrophe are committed before a much smaller array of witnesses.
There are 2 kinds of apostrophe: the possessive apostrophe, which denotes ownership (Betty’s pickaxe, the sun’s rays, Humboldt’s gift); and the apostrophe of omission, which marks the absence of a letter (don’t, that’s, won’t).
But most problems associated with the apostrophe arise with plurals ending in s and the word its. Or it’s.
With plurals
For many of us, the presence of an s at the end of a word triggers an uncontrollable desire to attach an apostrophe. Somewhere … anywhere! When the noun is a normal plural (i.e. with an added s), no extra s is added in the possessive. Just the apostrophe.
So,
boys’ filthy habits
regional councils’ decisions.
Sometimes there’s a bit of confusion when adding apostrophes to words or names in the singular that end in s:
tennis’s finest hour
Jesus’s mother
It looks odd and sounds funny, and there are many schools of thought on such usages. Ignore them all and put that second s in!
Finally, there are times when it all seems to go pear-shaped. What’s going on with these?
boys grammar school
womens golf championship
These are descriptive phrases. Boys is descriptive of the school rather than denoting ownership. Womens describes the participants rather than indicating ownership. A lot of the time with this usage, you could make an argument either way. Very confusing.
With its/it’s
Oh, but what about it’s? And its? Well, it is a bit tricky. I still find myself stopping and asking myself a question every time I use it: Do I mean to say either it is or it has? Then I stick in an apostrophe. If not, I don’t. Don’t overthink, I say.
