Apostrophes
📋 What it is
Apostrophes show possession (Sam’s book) or contraction (don’t) — NOT plurals.
🗣️ Coach says
Apostrophes do two jobs: show something belongs to someone (Sam’s) or squish two words together (do not → don’t). They do NOT make things plural — “apple’s $1” for many apples is the classic sign-maker mistake.
🧠 Memory hook
Owns it or squishes it — never “more than one”. Cats = many; cat’s = belongs to the cat.
😂 Giggle
What did the preposition say at the party?
"I'm always between things, under pressure, or over it!"
😲 Whoa!
The “greengrocer’s apostrophe” (Banana’s 50p!) is so common in shop signs that it has its own name.
✅ Quick check: Which is right for “the toy belonging to the dog”: the dogs toy, the dog’s toy, or the dogs’ toy?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
“The dog’s toy” — one dog owns it, so apostrophe before the s.
Singular possession uses ’s; the plain plural “dogs” shows no ownership.
🪄 Trick question: Should “its” have an apostrophe in “the dog wagged its tail”?
Careful — think it through, then reveal.
No — “its” (belonging) has NO apostrophe; “it’s” means “it is”. This one’s the exception.
Possessive “its” breaks the ’s rule; “it’s” is only the contraction of “it is”.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Write your name showing you own something (____’s pencil). Then write “don’t” and circle the letters the apostrophe replaced (o in not).