What is an apostrophe in a noun?
What does an apostrophe mean in a sentence?
Where does the word "apostrophe" come from?
About this website
What is apostrophes and examples?
The definition of an apostrophe is the punctuation that is used to indicate possession, pluralization of abbreviations, and as an indicator of the exclusion of letters such as in a contraction. An example of usage of an apostrophe is to add 's to the name John when describing to whom his car belongs. noun.
What is an apostrophe in writing?
The apostrophe is used to indicate possessive case, contractions, and omitted letters. The apostrophe is not strictly a punctuation mark, but more a part of a word to indicate possessive case, contractions, or omitted letters.
What are the 5 examples of apostrophe?
A few apostrophe examples below:I am – I'm: “I'm planning to write a book someday.”You are – You're: “You're going to have a lot of fun with your new puppy.”She is – She's: “She's always on time.”It is – It's: “I can't believe it's snowing again.”Do not – Don't: “I don't like anchovies.”More items...
What are the 10 examples of apostrophe?
ExamplesIt's a nice day outside. ( contraction)The cat is dirty. Its fur is matted. ( possession)You're not supposed to be here. ( contraction)This is your book. ( possession)Who's at the door? ( contraction)Whose shoes are these? ( possession)They're not here yet. ( contraction)Their car is red. ( possession)More items...
What does apostrophe look like?
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (') that appears as part of a word to show possession, to make a plural number or to indicate the omission of one or more letters.
How do you write an apostrophe in a letter?
Apostrophes are used to form plurals of letters that appear in lowercase; here the rule appears to be more typographical than grammatical, e.g. "three ps" versus "three p's." To form the plural of a lowercase letter, place 's after the letter.
What are the 3 Uses of apostrophe?
The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not use apostrophes to form possessive pronouns (i.e. his/her computer) or noun plurals that are not possessives.
What are the 2 types of apostrophes?
There are two different kinds of apostrophes: smart and straight.
Where is apostrophe used?
An apostrophe is a small punctuation mark ( ' ) placed after a noun to show that the noun owns something. The apostrophe will always be placed either before or after an s at the end of the noun owner. Always the noun owner will be followed (usually immediately) by the thing it owns. 2.
What is an apostrophe?
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that is mainly used to show possession or ownership of something or someone. It can also be used to form contra...
What is the definition of an apostrophe?
According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, an apostrophe is defined as the mark ( ’ ) used to show that one or more letters or numbers have been...
Give some examples of the usage of apostrophes.
Here are a few examples to show you how an apostrophe can be used. Yesterday was my great-grandfather’s 100th birthday. She was definitely o’...
Examples and Definition of Apostrophe - Literary Devices
Definition of Apostrophe. As a literary device, an apostrophe is a poetic phrase or speech made by a character that is addressed to a subject that is not literally present in the literary work. The subject may be dead, absent, an inanimate object, or even an abstract idea.A literary apostrophe is designed to direct a reader or audience member’s attention to the entity being addressed as a ...
Apostrophe - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis
This could be a person they know or don’t know someone who is alive or dead, or someone who never existed at all. It might also be a non-human animal, an abstracted, but personified force, or even an object. Often, this technique is used when a speaker addresses a god or group of gods.. These disparate recipients of a speaker’s words are unified by the belief, on the part of the speaker ...
What is an apostrophe in Wikipedia?
Apostrophe. ’. '. Typesetter's apostrophe. Typewriter apostrophe. The apostrophe ( ' or ’) is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritical mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet and some other alphabets.
What is an apostrophe in a noun?
Apostrophes used in a non-standard manner to form noun plurals are known as greengrocers' apostrophes or grocers' apostrophes, often written as greengrocer's apostrophes or grocer's apostrophes. They are sometimes humorously called greengrocers apostrophe's, rogue apostrophes, or idiot's apostrophes (a literal translation of the German word Deppenapostroph, which criticises the misapplication of apostrophes in Denglisch ). The practice, once common and acceptable (see Historical development ), comes from the identical sound of the plural and possessive forms of most English nouns. It is often criticised as a form of hypercorrection coming from a widespread ignorance of the proper use of the apostrophe or of punctuation in general. Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, points out that before the 19th century it was standard orthography to use the apostrophe to form a plural of a foreign-sounding word that ended in a vowel (e. g., banana's, folio's, logo's, quarto's, pasta's, ouzo's) to clarify pronunciation. Truss says this usage is no longer considered proper in formal writing.
What happens if you have a name that ends in "s"?
If you have a name that ends in "s," or if you will observe home-made signs selling tomatoes or chili-and-beans, you will quickly note what can be done with a possessive apostrophe in reckless hands.
What is the apostrophe in Afrikaans?
In Afrikaans, as in Dutch, the apostrophe is used to show that letters have been omitted from words. The most common use is in the indefinite article 'n, which is a contraction of een meaning 'one' (the number).
What does an apostrophe mean in a sentence?
An apostrophe is used in time and money references in constructions such as one hour's respite, two weeks' holiday, a dollar's worth, five pounds' worth, one mile's drive from here. This is like an ordinary possessive use. For example, one hour's respite means a respite of one hour (exactly as the cat's whiskers means the whiskers of the cat ). Exceptions are accounted for in the same way: three months pregnant (in modern usage, one says neither pregnant of three months, nor one month (')s pregnant ).
Why do we use an apostrophe in Albanian?
In Albanian the apostrophe is used to show that a vowel has been omitted from words, especially in different forms of verbs and in some forms of personal pronoun.
When to use apostrophes in English?
From the 16th century, following French practice, the apostrophe was used when a vowel letter was omitted either because of incidental elision ("I'm" for "I am") or because the letter no longer represented a sound ("lov'd" for "loved"). English spelling retained many inflections that were not pronounced as syllables, notably verb endings ("-est", "-eth", "-es", "-ed") and the noun ending "-es", which marked either plurals or possessives, also known as genitives; see Possessive apostrophe, below). An apostrophe followed by "s" was often used to mark a plural, especially when the noun was a loan word (and especially a word ending in "a", as in "the two comma's").
What is an apostrophe in a letter?
Apostrophe definition: An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to show possession or to show the omission of letters.
What are some examples of apostrophes?
Examples of Apostrophes Indicating Omission of Letters. The apostrophe is also used as a mark to show when letters are omitted from words. can’t. ‘tis. won’t. Invitation Homes won’t be the first Wall Street landlord to go public. – The Wall Street Journal. shouldn’t. Cousins wasn’t at his best Sunday, but he shouldn’t be blamed for all ...
What is an apostrophe in contractions?
Apostrophe Rules for Omission of Letters. In contractions, apostrophes are used to show that letters are missing from a word. The apostrophe is placed where the letters are omitted. Examples. cannot.
Do all words end with an apostrophe?
The important thing you should note is that not all words ending in “s” need an apostrophe. Many words ending in “s” are simply plural words. The only words that should ever show possession with an “apostrophe s” are nouns that show possession. Verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and other parts of speech should not be made possessive.
Is an apostrophe a possessive word?
Verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and other parts of speech should not be made possessive. That is, they should not have an apostrophe followed by an “s.”. An apostrophe and an “s” should only be added to nouns to show appropriate possession. For example, Incorrect: The student’s wanted to go on a field trip.
What does an apostrophe mean?
Apostrophes can also be used to indicate that the first two digits of a year have been omitted. You’ve probably seen this in cases like “the class of ’ 93,” “the ’ 08 election” and “the Roaring ’ 20s.”
When do you add an apostrophe to a noun?
When a singular noun doesn’t end in S , you just need to add an apostrophe and an S to make it possessive. Examples include “the boy ’ s bike,” “the dog ’ s leash,” and “Bob ’ s house.”. If a singular noun does end in S, you should add an apostrophe and an S to make the word possessive.
Do you need an apostrophe at the end of a noun?
If a noun is plural and ends in S, you only need to add an apostrophe at the end to make it possessive. Examples include “the students ’ tests,” “the girls ’ backpacks,” and “the Morris ’ car.”. In the case of irregular plural nouns that don’t end in S, add an apostrophe and an S to the word to make it possessive.
What are the apostrophes in a sentence?
Some additional key details about apostrophe: 1 Apostrophe, the figure of speech, should not be confused with apostrophe, the punctuation mark. 2 The word "apostrophe," which comes from ancient Greek, literally means "turning away," because to perform apostrophe on stage, an actor turns away from the scene to address an absent entity. 3 An apostrophe is often introduced by the exclamation "O," as when Juliet cries out: "O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?" 4 Apostrophe appears most often in poetry and plays, though it can appear in prose literature as well. 5 Apostrophe always addresses its object in the second person. Sometimes this address involves the word "you" or the more formal "thou." Other times the "you" is not included, as when the narrator of Herman Melville's story Bartleby, the Scrivener ends his tale with the despairing apostrophe: "Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!"
Where did the apostrophe come from?
One of the earliest and most famous examples of apostrophe in literature comes from Homer, who begins both The Iliad and The Odyssey with an invocation of the Muse. The Odyssey begins with the following lines, which ask the Muse, a goddess of the arts, to help the author in his work: on the proud height of Troy.
Why is the apostrophe in "To the Reader" an example?
Beaudelaire's poem "To The Reader" may therefore be considered an example of apostrophe, because Beaudelaire describes the reader and makes him come to life, addressing him directly at the end:
What is an apotrophe in writing?
Apostrophe often involves the speaker or writer addressing an inanimate object or abstract idea. In doing so, the speaker or writer will often impart to the object human characteristics. The object, in other words, gets personified. Take these two lines from William Wordsworth's "Prelude":
What is an apostrophe and an aversion?
Though everyone agrees that apostrophe is a form of address to a silent listener, some scholars insist that apostrophe must involve what they call an "aversion," a turning away from an original audience to then address the subject of the apostrophe.
What does the apostrophe mean in the figure of speech?
The word "apostrophe," which comes from ancient Greek, literally means "turning away, " because to perform apostrophe on stage, an actor turns away from the scene to address an absent entity.
How does Wordsworth personify the cliffs and islands?
Here, in addition to performing an apostrophe in which the speaker addresses the cliffs and islands, Wordsworth personifies those cliffs and islands by imagining them as capable of knowing someone. However, though apostrophe often involves personification of inanimate objects or abstract ideas, it certainly doesn't always.
What does the apostrophe 1 mean?
apostrophe1. / ( əˈpɒstrəfɪ) /. noun. the punctuation mark ' used to indicate the omission of a letter or number, such as he's for he has or he is, also used in English to form the possessive, as in John's father and twenty pounds' worth.
How to use apostrophes in a sentence?
How to use apostrophe in a sentence. Before you put in the order, send the wife a note explaining that you just realized that the apostrophe is in the wrong place and confirm that you, fortunately, caught it before it went to the printers.
How many times has the no apostrophe rule been reaffirmed?
The no- apostrophe rule has been reaffirmed five times, yet punctuationists fight on. Jennifer Runyon, one of the name committee's three staffers, says: "We don't debate the apostrophe .". Before she reached the house, Gouvernail had lighted a fresh cigar and ended his apostrophe to the night.
What does "mark" mean in a sentence?
A mark (') used with a noun or pronoun to indicate possession (“the student's comment,” “the people's choice”) or in a contraction to show where letters have been left out ( isn't, don't, we'll ).
Why is it called the grocer's apostrophe?
Sometimes, it’s called the grocer’s apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements ( 3 orange’s for a dollar! ). Don’t do it! With very few exceptions, apostrophes do not make nouns plural.
Is an apostrophe a punctuation mark?
Apostrophes with Surrounding Punctuation. An apostrophe is part of the word it belongs to, so it should not be separate d from the word by periods, commas, question marks, or any other punctuation mark.
Is "grocer" an apostrophe?
Apostrophes and Plurals. Using an unnecessary apostrophe to form the plural of a noun is a very common mistake. Sometimes, it’s called the grocer’s apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements ( 3 orange’s for a dollar! ). Don’t do it!
Do you add an apostrophe to a possessive?
The rules about forming possessives probably cause the most apostrophe confusion. They vary a little bit, depending on what type of noun you are making into a possessive. Here are the rules of thumb: For most singular nouns, add apostrophe+s: For most plural nouns, add only an apostrophe :
Do apostrophes make nouns plural?
With very few exceptions, apostrophes do not make nouns plural. The one notable exception to this rule is the plural form of lowercase letters, which are formed with an apostrophe to prevent misreading: Don’t forget to dot all your is. Don’t forget to dot all your i’s.
What is apostrophe?
According to Ginger and Literary Devices, the word apostrophe is both a punctuation mark and a rhetorical or literary device. As a punctuation mark, an apostrophe has many uses. Remember that in most cases, plurals do not contain apostrophes. Apostrophes can be used to create contracted verbs by omission of a letter or more.
What are examples of apostrophe?
Apostrophe can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge.
What are other literary techniques and devices?
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these devices because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device.
What is an apostrophe in a noun?
noun (2) Definition of apostrophe (Entry 2 of 2) : the addressing of a usually absent person or a usually personified thing rhetorically Carlyle's "O Liberty, what things are done in thy name!". is an example of apostrophe.
What does an apostrophe mean in a sentence?
: a mark ' used to indicate the omission of letters or figures, the possessive case (as in "John's book"), or the plural of letters or figures (as in "the 1960's") In the contraction "can't," the apostrophe replaces two of the letters in the word "cannot.".
Where does the word "apostrophe" come from?
History and Etymology for apostrophe. borrowed from French & Late Latin; French, borrowed from Late Latin apostrophus, apostrophos "mark placed above a consonant to indicate that a following vowel has been deleted," borrowed from Greek apóstrophos (feminine noun, presumably shortened from the collocation apóstrophos prosōidía, ...
Overview
The apostrophe (' or ’) is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritical mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet and some other alphabets. In English, the apostrophe is used for two basic purposes:
• The marking of the omission of one or more letters, e.g. the contraction of "do not" to "don't".
• The marking of possessive case of nouns (as in "the eagle's feathers", "in one month's time", "at your p…
Usage in English
The apostrophe was first used by Pietro Bembo in his edition of De Aetna (1496). It was introduced into English in the 16th century in imitation of French practice.
Introduced by Geoffroy Tory (1529), the apostrophe was used in place of a vowel letter to indicate elision (as in l'heure in place of la heure). It was also frequently used in place of a final "e" (which was still pronounced at the time) when it wa…
Non-English use
In many languages, especially European languages, the apostrophe is used to indicate the elision of one or more sounds, as in English.
• In Albanian the apostrophe is used to show that a vowel has been omitted from words, especially in different forms of verbs and in some forms of personal pronoun. For example, t'i: them (from të + i: them), m'i mori (from më + i mori). It is used too in some of the forms of possessive pronoun…
Typographic form
The shape of the apostrophe originated in manuscript writing, as a point with a downwards tail curving clockwise. This form was inherited by the typographic apostrophe, ’, also known as the typeset apostrophe (or, informally, the curly apostrophe). Later sans-serif typefaces had stylised apostrophes with a more geometric or simplified form, but usually retaining the same directional bias a…
Informal use in measurement and mathematics
Formally, the symbol used to represent a foot of length, depth, or height, is ′ (prime) and that for the inch is ″ (double prime). (Thus, for example, the notation 5' 7″ signifies 5 feet and 7 inches). Similarly, the prime symbol is the formal representation of a minute of arc (1/60 of a degree in geometry and geomatics), and double prime represents a second of arc (for example, 17°54'32" represents 17 degrees 54 minutes and 32 seconds). Similarly in mathematics, the prime is gener…
Unicode
In its Unicode Standard (version 13.0), the Unicode Consortium describes three characters that represent apostrophe:
• U+0027 ' APOSTROPHE: The typewriter or ASCII apostrophe. The standard remarks:
For historical reasons, U+0027 is a particularly overloaded character. In ASCII, it is used to represent a punctuation mark (such as right single quotation mark, left single quotation mark, ap…
Computing
In modern computing practice, Unicode is the standard and default method for character encoding. However, Unicode itself and many legacy applications have echoes of earlier practices. Furthermore, the limited character set provided by computer keyboards has also required practical and pragmatic adjustments. These issues are detailed below.
The typewriter apostrophe, ', was inherited by computer keyboards, and is the only apostrophe ch…
See also
• Apologetic apostrophe
• Caron
• Contraction (grammar)
• Elision
• Genitive case