Apostrophes mainly show missing letters or possession. They do not normally make a word plural. Work through the examples, then check any questions you have answered.
1. Contractions
An apostrophe can show that letters have been left out when two words are joined. The shortened form is called a contraction.
Example: letters left out
I do not understand. → I don’t understand.
Don’t joins do and not. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing o.
Examples: ’s can mean is or has
She’s ready. → She is ready.
She’s finished. → She has finished.
Use the rest of the sentence to decide what ’s means. It does not always show ownership.
Contractions are common in speech and informal writing. Some formal assignments prefer full forms such as does not. Follow the expectations of the task.
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2. Singular possession
To show that something belongs to, or is connected with, one person or thing, normally add ’s to the singular noun.
Example: one owner
the student’s notebook
Start with one student, then add ’s. The phrase means the notebook belonging to that student.
Example: one owner, several things
the teacher’s books
There is one teacher but several books. Count the owners, not the things owned, when choosing the possessive ending.
Example: a name ending in s
James’s jacket
This guide recommends James’s. Some styles use James’. Both are standard conventions, so either is accepted in the practice below.
Possession can also express a connection rather than literal ownership: the school’s timetable or the novel’s ending.
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3. Plural possession
First write the correct plural. If it already ends in s, add an apostrophe after the s. If it does not end in s, add ’s.
Compare: one student and several students
one student → the student’s notebooks
several students → the students’ notebooks
Student’s means one owner; students’ means several. Both phrases can refer to more than one notebook.
Example: an irregular plural
children → the children’s coats
people → people’s opinions
Wrong: the childrens’ coats
Children and people are already plural. They do not end in s, so their possessives take ’s.
Two steps: decide whether the owner is singular or plural, then add the possessive ending. The apostrophe does not make a noun plural.
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4. Possessive words without apostrophes
Its, yours, hers, ours, theirs and whose already express possession. They do not need apostrophes.
Example: its shows possession
The bird spread its wings.
Wrong: The bird spread it’s wings.
Its tells us that the wings belong to the bird. There are no missing letters.
Compare: it’s means it is or it has
It’s cold today. → It is cold today.
It’s stopped raining. → It has stopped raining.
Try expanding it’s. If neither it is nor it has fits your intended meaning, the possessive its may be what you need.
Example: no apostrophe in yours
This folder is yours.
Wrong: This folder is your’s.
Yours already means belonging to you.
The same distinction appears in who’s (who is or who has) and whose (possession): Who’s waiting outside? / Whose bag is this?
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5. Ordinary plurals
Do not add an apostrophe just because a word ends in s or refers to more than one thing.
Example: a plural, not possession
The classroom has twenty desks.
Wrong: The classroom has twenty desk’s.
This sentence counts desks. Add s to form the plural; there is no possession or contraction.
Examples: decades and abbreviations
music from the 1980s
two DVDs
The usual plural forms take s without an apostrophe.
An apostrophe can sometimes help clarify the plural of a single letter, such as lowercase a’s. That special case does not mean ordinary words need apostrophes in their plurals.
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6. Shared and separate possession
The apostrophe’s position can help show whether people share something or have separate things.
Example: one shared project
Maya and Leo’s project won a prize.
Maya and Leo worked on the same project. For shared possession, add ’s to the last name only.
Example: separate projects
Maya’s and Leo’s projects won prizes.
Each person completed a separate project. Both names take ’s.
Meaning comes first: choose the form that matches who owns what. The practice states whether possession is shared or separate so that you do not have to guess.
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A quick check before you finish
Ask what the apostrophe is doing: does it replace missing letters, or show possession? If the word is simply plural, it probably does not need one.
For possession, identify the owner first: one student → student’s; several students → students’; several children → children’s.
This guide follows common conventions for school and academic writing. Some details vary by style, especially names ending in s. Follow a required style consistently; the practice accepts both James’s and James’.
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