Are you a word enthusiast? Then you’re likely familiar with that particular shudder that runs down your spine when you encounter a common language mistake. These little errors, often repeated, can become what we affectionately call “pet peeves.”
For many, and certainly for this writer, one of the most prominent pet peeves revolves around the misuse of the apostrophe. It’s the punctuation mark that seems to cause widespread confusion, leading to grammatical errors that can make even the most patient among us wince.
Have you ever seen a sign advertising “Banana’s on sale!”? Or perhaps an online comment stating, “The dog love’s to play fetch.”? These instances of incorrect apostrophe usage are more than just minor slips; they are examples of a widespread grammatical pet peeve that many language lovers find grating.
It’s not just about being pedantic; correct apostrophe usage is crucial for clarity and professional communication. Misplaced apostrophes can alter the meaning of sentences and detract from the overall quality of writing. So, let’s delve into understanding this common language pet peeve and explore how to avoid these errors.
Before we dive into the common mistakes, it’s essential to quickly revisit the correct uses of the apostrophe. According to established grammar guidelines, apostrophes have three primary functions:
- To Indicate Possession: Showing that something belongs to someone or something. (Example: The cat’s toy is under the sofa.)
- To Represent Missing Letters in Contractions: Combining two words into one by omitting letters. (Example: It’s (it is) a beautiful day.)
- To Form Plurals of Single Letters and Certain Words Used as Words: Though less common, apostrophes are used for clarity in these specific cases. (Example: Mind your p’s and q’s.)
While these rules may seem straightforward, the application can often become muddled. Let’s explore six common ways apostrophes are incorrectly used, transforming potential pet peeves into points of clarity.
Misuse #1: Plural Nouns Are Not Possessive Nouns
One of the most frequent apostrophe errors is adding an apostrophe before the ‘s’ when forming plural nouns. This mistake likely stems from confusion with possessive nouns, but it’s a key distinction to understand. Apostrophes indicate possession, not plurality.
Incorrect: I bought apple’s and orange’s from the market.
This is incorrect because “apples” and “oranges” are simply plural nouns, not possessive. They are not owning anything.
Correct: I bought apples and oranges from the market.
Simply adding an ‘s’ without the apostrophe correctly forms the plural.
Incorrect: My favorite day’s of the week are Saturday and Sunday.
Again, “days” here is plural, not possessive.
Correct: My favorite days of the week are Saturday and Sunday.
Misuse #2: Proper Names in Plural Form
Similar to plural nouns, proper names also do not require an apostrophe when made plural. This is a common error, especially seen in family names during holiday greetings.
Incorrect: Greetings from the Johnson’s family!
Incorrect: We are visiting the Martin’s this weekend.
To pluralize proper names, you simply add ‘s’ or ‘es’ depending on the ending of the name. Add ‘es’ if the name ends in ‘s’, ‘x’, ‘z’, ‘ch’, or ‘sh’.
Correct: Greetings from the Johnson family!
Correct: We are visiting the Martins this weekend.
For names ending in ‘s’, like Jones, the plural form is Joneses.
Correct: The Joneses are a lovely family.
Misuse #3: Possessive Pronouns Already Show Possession
Possessive pronouns such as yours, hers, its, ours, and theirs already indicate possession and do not need an apostrophe. Adding an apostrophe to these pronouns is grammatically incorrect.
Incorrect: Is that coat your’s?
Incorrect: The cat licked it’s paw.
The apostrophe in it’s is often confused with the possessive its. It’s is a contraction for it is or it has, while its is the possessive pronoun.
Correct: Is that coat yours?
Correct: The cat licked its paw.
To differentiate, remember the contraction rule: if you can replace it’s with it is and the sentence still makes sense, then it’s is correct. If you are showing possession, use its.
Misuse #4: Apostrophes in Verbs are Rarely Needed
Using apostrophes in verbs is generally incorrect unless you are forming a contraction (which is not common with most verbs). This error is less frequent but still noticeable.
Incorrect: He alway’s arrive’s late.
Incorrect: She sometime’s forget’s her keys.
Verbs in the third person singular present tense end in ‘s’, but this ‘s’ is not possessive and doesn’t require an apostrophe.
Correct: He always arrives late.
Correct: She sometimes forgets her keys.
The incorrect examples seem to treat the verb ending ‘s’ as if it were possessive or a contraction, which it is not.
Misuse #5: Descriptive Adjectives Derived from Nouns
When using nouns as adjectives to describe something, especially those ending in ‘s’, do not use an apostrophe. These are descriptive terms, not possessive nouns.
Incorrect: The New York’s skyline is impressive.
Incorrect: She bought a children’s book. (In this case, children is used as an adjective describing the book’s target audience, not indicating possession by children in the plural sense. Children’s book would be correct if it was a book owned by children).
Correct: The New York skyline is impressive.
Correct: She bought a children’s book. (Here, ‘children’s’ is possessive and correctly uses an apostrophe because it means a book for children, implying a relationship or intended audience).
Misuse #6: Plural Numbers and Abbreviations
When writing plural forms of numbers or abbreviations, apostrophes are generally unnecessary and make the text look cluttered.
Incorrect: The 1980’s were a decade of change.
Incorrect: He has two MBA’s.
Correct: The 1980s were a decade of change.
Correct: He has two MBAs.
Apostrophes in these cases are superfluous and detract from readability. Clarity and simplicity are preferred.
Addressing Your Language Pet Peeves
Understanding these common apostrophe misuses is the first step in overcoming this widespread language pet peeve. By consciously applying these rules, you can improve your writing and communication, and perhaps, lessen the frequency of encountering these errors in the wild!
Language evolves, but grammatical correctness remains important for clear and effective communication. Recognizing and correcting these common mistakes not only refines your language skills but also helps in maintaining the integrity and clarity of written English.
Do you have other grammar pet peeves? Reflecting on these common errors can make us all more mindful of our language use and contribute to clearer, more precise communication.
