When Should Apostrophes Be Used In Formal Writing?

The apostrophe has three uses: 1)

to form possessive nouns

Can you use apostrophe in a formal essay?

In formal essays,

the apostrophe is not avoided when it shows possession

, such as “narrator’s discourse”. However, conjunctions, which also use apostrophes, should be avoided in formal writing.

What is the rule for using apostrophes correctly?

Use an apostrophe when showing possession

If the plural of the word is formed by adding an “s”

(for example, cats), place the apostrophe after the “s” (see guideline #3 below). If the plural of the word is formed without adding an “s” (for example, children), add apostrophe “s” (‘s) as you would to the singular form.

What are the 3 rules for apostrophes?

Apostrophes have three main uses: 1. To indicate possession 2.

To indicate an omission of letters or numbers 3. To separate the s from plural letters/numbers and abbreviations followed by periods

.

Can I use S in formal writing?

The possessive with “-‘s” or “-s’”

is neither formal nor informal

and so may be used wherever you like!

Can you use contractions in formal writing?

Contractions are a part of informal writing. Thus, avoid contractions in scholarly writing, except for under the following circumstances: …

Scientific writing should be formal

but it doesn’t have to be stuffy. It is okay to have a moment of informality as long as the overall tone is appropriately formal.

Do I need an apostrophe checker?

The rules for using an apostrophe to show possession are: …

With singular nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe and s. With plural nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe after the s. With plural nouns not ending in s, add an apostrophe and s.

Should an apostrophe be used for plural?

As a general rule,

we never use an apostrophe in writing plural forms

. (A plural form is one that denotes more than one of something.) … Do not write things like *Jones’s, *Steve’s, *Julie’s or *Eleanor Cross’s if you are merely talking about more than one person or thing with that name.

Where do you put the apostrophe in students?

When you’re talking about one student, add apostrophe + s:

The student’s favorite subject was science

. In the sentence above, we are talking about the favorite subject of one student. When you’re talking about many students, add an apostrophe.

What are the 5 examples of apostrophe?

• Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. ( …
• O holy night! …
• Then come, sweet death, and rid me of this grief. ( …
• O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth. ( …
• Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll! ( …
• Welcome, O life!

What is the purpose of apostrophe in literature?

The purpose of an apostrophe in literature is

to direct the reader’s attention to something other than the person who’s speaking

. Apostrophes frequently target an absent person or a third party. Other times, they focus on an inanimate object, a place, or even an abstract idea.

What is correct James or James’s?

The proper convention is to include the possessive apostrophe even when the word ends in an “s.” So

“James’s” is correct

. The only exception to that are proper nouns so well established that traditionally they have always been used with just an apostrophe.

Where do we use apostrophes examples?

When using a singular noun, the apostrophe

is used before the s

. For example: “The squirrel’s nuts were stashed in a hollow tree.” When using a plural noun, the apostrophe goes after the s. For example: “The squirrels’ nuts were hidden in several hollow trees throughout the forest.”

Is it okay to use apostrophe in research title?

Apostrophes that indicate the ownership of an object, or the relationship between two objects, such as the girl’s ball or the father’s son, also commonly occur in standard written English, but are rarely needed in scientific writing. All of these phrases are

acceptable in

a scientific manuscript or thesis.

What is the most common mistake made using an apostrophe?

• Mistake 1. You use contractions in academic writing.
• Mistake 3. You have trouble distinguishing between possessive forms (‘s) and plural forms (s).
• Mistake 4. You have trouble distinguishing between ‘s (apostrophe s) and s’ ( s apostrophe).

Are apostrophes letters?

An apostrophe is

commonly used to indicate omitted characters

, normally letters: It is used in contractions, such as can’t from cannot, it’s from it is or it has, and I’ll from I will or I shall. It is used in abbreviations, as gov’t for government.

What should you not use in a formal writing?

• Do not use first-person pronouns (“I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” “us,” etc.). …
• Avoid addressing readers as “you.” …
• Avoid the use of contractions. …
• Avoid colloquialism and slang expressions. …
• Avoid nonstandard diction. …
• Avoid abbreviated versions of words. …
• Avoid the overuse of short and simple sentences.

Does pegs have an apostrophe?

There are related compound nouns such as ‘clothes peg’, ‘clothes line’ and ‘clothes horse’.

Possessive apostrophes are not needed in compound nouns

.

When should you use contractions in writing?

It’s

acceptable to use contractions for informal writing

, such as a newspaper article, but less so in formal writing, such as an essay for a college course. Traditionally, use of contractions has been strictly forbidden in academic writing. You might remember a teacher at some point who told you never to use them.

When should you not use contractions?

When to avoid contractions in your prose:

If the contraction could have more than one

meaning: she’d can mean she had or she would. If a contraction results in lack of clarity, avoid it. If more than one word is contracted—for example, he’d’ve for he would have.

How do you put an apostrophe in a name?

Names are pluralized like regular words. Add -es for names ending in “s” or “z” and add -s for everything else. When indicating the possessive,

if there is more than one owner add an apostrophe to the plural

; if there is one owner, add ‘s to the singular (The Smiths’ car vs. Smith’s car).

Are students grammatically correct?

student

— singular noun: “The student did well on the exam.” students — plural noun: “The students did well on their exams.” student’s — singular possessive adjective: “The student’s performance was excellent.” students’ — plural possessive adjective: “The students’ exam scores were all fantastic!”

When to use an apostrophe at the end of a word?

Use an apostrophe in the possessive form of a noun

to indicate ownership

. To show ownership, add apostrophe + s to the end of a word, with one exception: To show ownership with a plural noun already ending in s add only the apostrophe.

Is students plural or possessive?

Students’ is the

plural form of the possessive noun

and refers to something multiple students own.

What is apostrophe give two examples?

Apostrophe – when a character in a literary work speaks to an object, an idea, or someone who doesn’t exist as if it is a living person. This is done to produce dramatic effect and to show the importance of the object or idea. Examples of Apostrophe: 1.

Oh, rose, how sweet you smell and how bright you look!

What is the effect of an apostrophe?

Reference.com brings out this point: “The effect of an apostrophe in poetry is

to personify or bring to life something not living

, so the poet is able to address it directly. … When poets direct speech to an abstract concept or a person who is not physically present, they’re writing apostrophe poetry.

Which is correct boss or boss’s?

How do we use

boss’s

and boss’? Use boss’s as you would use the possessive/genitive form of any singular noun. Never use boss’.

Which is correct Chris or Chris’s?

In other style guides,

Chris takes an apostrophe and an s: Chris’s

. “AP” rules that proper names such as Chris, Agnes, and Russ take only an apostrophe, like these examples: Chris’ photograph appears on page 1 of the business section. (Other style guides use Chris’s.)

How do you use an apostrophe in a paragraph?

1. Use an apostrophe to show that one or more letters have been left out of a contraction: cannot becomes can’t (leaving out “no”).
2. Add an apostrophe and an s to form the possessive of most singular nouns: dog becomes dog’s.

What is the difference between personification and apostrophe?

What Is Apostrophe? Another literary device used by writers is apostrophe. … The difference between personification and apostrophe is that

personification gives human qualities to animals, objects, and ideas

, while apostrophe has characters talking aloud to objects and ideas as if they were human.

Which is correct boss’s or bosses?

Boss is singular noun

. Bosses is plural of boss. Boss’s is possessive singular.