PSA: The Apostrophe

[drebo]

The apostrophe is used to show the omission of a letter, known as a contraction, or possession.

It is not used to show plurality of any kind in any context. It doesn't matter if you're using an abbreviation or acronym. If you're not forming a contraction or showing possession, you should not be using an apostrophe.

Correct:
He's - he is
Bob's - either of: "Bob is" or showing that something belongs to Bob
they're - they are
IPs - plural of IP
ABCs - plural of ABC
Tires - plural of tire
Jackasses - people who don't use apostrophes correctly

Incorrect:
MAC's - this means nothing, it is not the plural of the acronym "MAC"
apostrophe's - this is WRONG

I can't believe how often I see incorrect use of apostrophes these days. I see it on commercial web sites, in marketing communication, in print media, etc. It's almost as bad as people who don't know whether to use "I" or "me" in the predicate of a sentence. That's a lost cause, though, as it's in literature, movies, and songs now.

tl;dr: Don't use an apostrophe if you aren't showing possession or making a contraction.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Thank's.

 

[CRXican]

amen bro

I drive by a mechanic on the way to work everyday. Their signs say "We fix Honda's"

it's absurd

 

[Geosurface]

amen bro

I drive by a mechanic on the way to work everyday. Their signs say "We fix Honda's"

it's absurd

Unless they mean we fix Honda's mistakes as a company.
or Honda's broken parts.
or Honda's issues.

:sneaky:

 

[Lobotomized]

One day you will realize that:

1. English is not the primary language of the person that used the apostrophe incorrectly.

Or

2. 95% of the USA population is retarded.

 

[KillerBee]

Finnly - somune is goeing too fix the Intnet of all it's' morinic speling!

 

[Tsavo]

2. 95% of the USA population is retarded.

*am

 

[ImpulsE69]

You know how you can's tell's when someoneses is old's? When they post's grammar pet peeves on a forums. For reals.

 

[Tsavo]

You know how you can's tell's when someoneses is old's? When they post's grammar pet peeves on a forums. For reals.

The only thing that bugs me is OF in place of HAVE.

I meen ceriously.

 

[Jeff7]

Yes, I see this quite frequently. Somehow, it became a new rule that any word which ends with "s" must also have an apostrophe.

"It's" was once the most common offender, but now I also see it on many plural words.

 

[Whisper]

Actually, depending on where you look, there are special occasions where using an apostrophe when forming the plural form is ok (e.g., when forming the plural of an abbreviation that has uppercase and lowercase letters and/or internal periods, such as Ph.D.'s, or when forming the plural of lower case letters, such as, "mind your p's and q's").

 

[Paratus]

Grammar Nazis. I hate these guys

 

[Ben90]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFZrzg62Zj0

 

[acheron]

Stop! Grammar time!

 

[bigrash]

Anyones facebook's not working?

 

[darkewaffle]

OP didn't even bother to include plural possessives. Lame!

 

[preslove]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY

Stephen Fry hates small minded pedants like the OP. And if you think your appreciation of English is superior to Stephen Fry, then you're as deluded as you are pedantic.

The 'bad' apostrophes on signs that you hate are there for a reason. They're there to highlight and emphasize whatever word that the business wants to highlight.

 

[Exterous]

One day you will realize that:

1. English is not the primary language of the person that used the apostrophe incorrectly.

Or

2. 95% of the USA population is retarded.

Finally caught one!

Not the bigges' but better than some of the other's

 

[Kadarin]

Thread's like this are always fun.

 

[Tsavo]

Thread's like this are always fun.

* alway's

 

[Drako]

tl;dr: Don't use an apostrophe if you aren't showing possession or making a contraction.

Tell that to Butler By'not'e.

 

[SMOGZINN]

While we are at it, can we have a note about using quotes (")?
I saw a sign at a building the other day that read:

"No" carts allowed "Inside" building

What the hell? Why is No and Inside in quotes? Are they being ironic? Is it a euphemism? I don't get it.

 

[darkewaffle]

I don't care but I am confused why someone would put an apostrophe in ID in a message I got today.

"what is my user I'D"

 

[RedRooster]

Hey, we won the war, we can use letters and symbols however we want!

 

[darkxshade]

Didnt' Microsoft word used to flag possession as incorrect? Totally screwed me on its' proper use. Now I'm stuck with it.