Grammar and spelling tips – Apostrophe

We’ve noticed a lot of people are going apostrophe crazy recently.  Obviously thinking it is better to add it, just in case it might land in the right place…

Our advise is don’t, it changes the meaning!

So where do apostrophes occur:

  1. Understand the difference between plural and possessive – plural has no apostrophe, but possessive has.  An easy way to remember is ask yourself – does the word after the one where you want to add the apostrophe, belong to that word e.g. Harry’s coat, the girl’s smile, December’s weather – if the answer is yes, then add your apostrophe  If not, don’t.  If you have several things that own something then the apostrophe goes after the s e.g. teachers’ books, dogs’ bowls.
  2. Abbreviations also seem to confuse and the dreaded apostrophe appears. They are not required in acronyms otherwise you would be writing “K’P’I’s” or “S’L’A’s” where the apostrophe stands in for each missing word, and not at the end if its plural e.g. KPIs and SLAs, but they are required if you are removing a letter from a word e.g. do not = don’t; you are = you’re.

So – “Know your shit, not know you’re shit”.