Using the apostrophe correctly! (I make mistakes, too…)

While reviewing some of my recent posts, I noticed that I had written, ‘it’s name comes from…’. This is incorrect, and although I know the rules regarding the apostrophe, sometimes when I’m typing quickly, I have a reflex of adding it.

The sentence should read:

“Its name comes from…”

Its quite easy to remember if you think of the other possessive adjectives (which is the modern term for what we used to call possessive pronouns)
my, your, his, her, its, our, their

You would never write h’is, so it’s the same for ‘its’.
The only time you can use the apostrophe when contracting ‘is’ or ‘has’:
It’s been a while since I saw him. (it’s = it has)
It’s never a good sign when… (it’s = it is)

In France, I often see signs with ‘jean’s’. This is incorrect in English, as jeans is treated as a plural noun:
some jeans, a pair of jeans. There’s even a store called ‘Interior’s’ which while trying to sound English (it sells English-style furniture) the use of the apostrophe would be shocking to a native English speaker, or at least the ones who a bit about grammar.

Categories: grammaire   |   Tags: apostrophe, possession  |  No Comments »