Rule 1: Contractions
An apostrophe can combine two words to make one shorter word, called a contraction. The apostrophe replaces the missing letter(s).
✅ Do: Use apostrophes to shorten words
- it's = it is
- you're = you are
- he's = he is / he has
- can't = cannot
- don't = do not
- I'm = I am
❌ Don't: Forget the apostrophe
its cold today. (Should be it's)youre a great student. (Should be you're)- I
cant go. (Should be can't)
Example Sentence:
"I'm happy because it's a beautiful day, but I can't go outside."
Rule 2: Possession (Showing Ownership)
An apostrophe with an "s" ('s) shows that something belongs to someone or something.
Singular Nouns (One person/thing)
✅ Add 's
- The cat's toy. (The toy belongs to one cat)
- Maria's book. (The book belongs to Maria)
- My friend's house. (The house of one friend)
Plural Nouns (More than one)
✅ If it ends in 's', just add '
- The students' books. (The books of many students)
- The cats' toys. (The toys of many cats)
- My friends' house. (The house of many friends)
✅ If it doesn't end in 's', add 's
- The children's games. ('Children' is plural)
- The people's choice. ('People' is plural)
- The women's meeting. ('Women' is plural)
Common Mistake: It's vs. Its
This is a very common point of confusion, even for native speakers! Here's how to remember the difference.
It's
Always means "it is" or "it has".
The apostrophe is for the contraction (Rule 1).
Example:
"It's a beautiful day." (It is a beautiful day.)
Its
Always shows possession (Rule 2).
It's a special case - no apostrophe for possessive 'it'.
Example:
"The cat chased its tail." (The tail belongs to the cat.)
Memory Trick:
If you can replace the word with "it is", use it's. If not, use its.
Practice Quiz!
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