Common Apostrophe Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Apostrophes in Names, Dates, and Compound NounsApostrophes are small but powerful marks in English writing. They show possession and form contractions, but they often confuse writers—especially when names, dates, and compound nouns are involved. This article explains clear, practical rules and offers examples and exceptions so you can use apostrophes confidently.

1. Apostrophes with Names

Use apostrophes to show possession for people, animals, and sometimes organizations. Which form you choose depends on whether the name is singular, plural, or already ends in -s.

• Singular names not ending in -s: add ’s

  • Example: Maria’s book, the dog’s leash.

• Singular names ending in -s: style guides differ. Choose one approach and stay consistent:

  • Add ’s (Chicago Manual of Style): Chris’s car, Charles’s idea.
  • Add only an apostrophe (AP Style often prefers this for classical or historical names): Chris’ car, Jesus’ teachings.
  • When pronunciation would become awkward, prefer adding ’s for clarity: Moses’s law.

• Plural names (families or groups) ending in -s: add only an apostrophe after the s

  • Example: the Smiths’ house, the teachers’ lounge.

• Plural names not ending in -s: add ’s

  • Example: the children’s playground, the people’s choice.

• Joint vs. individual possession:

  • Joint ownership (both own one item): add ’s to the last name only — Alice and Bob’s apartment (they share one apartment).
  • Individual ownership (each owns separate items): add ’s to each name — Alice’s and Bob’s cars (two cars).

• Organizations and brand names:

  • Some companies drop apostrophes intentionally (e.g., McDonalds vs. McDonald’s); follow the official name.
  • For organizations that function as singular units, treat as singular nouns for possession: Google’s policy, Microsoft’s announcement.

2. Apostrophes with Dates and Time Expressions

Apostrophes often appear incorrectly in dates. Use them sparingly and only when indicating possession or omission.

• Years and decades:

  • Plural decades: no apostrophe — the 1990s, the ’90s (the apostrophe here replaces the 19, so use one before the numerals: ’90s).
  • Possessive of a year (rare): use apostrophe + s — a 1990’s fashion trend (but many style guides prefer avoiding this construction: fashion trends of 1990).
  • When shortening a year by omitting the century, use a leading apostrophe: the class of ’05 (for 2005).

• Dates in possessive constructions:

  • Use apostrophe + s when the date possesses something: July 4th’s celebrations is grammatical but often clumsy; prefer the celebrations on July 4th.
  • Avoid forming plurals of years with an apostrophe: 1990s (not 1990’s) unless you are writing a possessive or a contraction.

• Time expressions:

  • Possessive time: a day’s work, a week’s notice, a moment’s hesitation.
  • Do not use apostrophes to form plurals of abbreviations or acronyms: CDs, VIPs (not CD’s or VIP’s), unless showing possession or a contraction.

3. Apostrophes with Compound Nouns

Compound nouns can be tricky because possession involves deciding which element owns the item.

• Single-unit compound nouns:

  • Treat as a single word: sister-in-law’s wedding, mother-in-law’s advice.

• Compound nouns that are open or hyphenated:

  • If the compound is hyphenated or open, add the apostrophe to the main noun (the word that carries meaning): Attorney General’s decision, the editor in chief’s remarks.
  • For joint possession with compound nouns, apply the joint/individual rule: the editor-in-chief’s and publisher’s responsibilities (if each has separate responsibilities, add ’s to both; for a single shared responsibility, add ’s only to the last).

• Plural compound nouns ending in s:

  • If the plural adds s at the main noun, place the apostrophe after that s: passers-by’s opinions — though this looks awkward; rewrite if possible: the opinions of passers-by.

• Where meaning shifts, rephrase:

  • Some constructions with compound nouns and apostrophes become confusing; prefer rephrasing to maintain clarity: instead of a mother-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s gifts (unclear whether one person has both roles), write gifts from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

4. Special Cases and Common Pitfalls

• Its vs. It’s:

  • Its is the possessive pronoun (no apostrophe): The company changed its policy.
  • It’s is a contraction for “it is” or “it has”: It’s raining or It’s been a long day.

• Plurals of letters, numbers, symbols:

  • Use apostrophes for clarity with single letters: Mind your p’s and q’s, There are too many t’s. For numbers and acronyms, prefer no apostrophe: 1990s, CDs. Both styles are seen; be consistent.

• Decades with apostrophe use:

  • Use the ’80s when dropping the century; use the 1980s when including it. Avoid the 80’s for plural decades.

• Names ending in possessive s with classical or biblical names often drop the extra s in some styles: Jesus’ parables vs. Jesus’s parables. Either is acceptable depending on style guide—be consistent.

5. Guidelines to Improve Clarity

• When in doubt, rephrase. “The rules of” or “the X of Y” often beats awkward apostrophe placements:

  • Instead of the managers’ meeting (ambiguous), write the meeting of the managers if clarity requires.

• Be consistent with a style guide:

  • Chicago Manual of Style: generally adds ’s for singular names ending in s.
  • AP Style: often uses only an apostrophe for classical names ending in s.
  • If writing for publication, follow the assigned style.

• Read sentences aloud: possessive ’s often produces a clear spoken form (e.g., “Chris’s”) that helps decide correctness.

6. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

• Singular noun: add ’s — the teacher’s desk.
• Plural noun ending in s: add apostrophe after s — the teachers’ lounge.
• Plural noun not ending in s: add ’s — the children’s toys.
• Joint possession: add ’s to last noun — Tom and Jerry’s show.
• Individual possession: add ’s to each noun — Tom’s and Jerry’s cars.
• Its = possessive pronoun; It’s = it is/it has — its / it’s.

Apostrophes are small, but correct placement improves clarity. When names, dates, or compound nouns make possession messy, prefer rephrasing and consistency with a chosen style guide.