The
word it's (with an apostrophe) does not show possession!
It's always means it is (or sometimes it has).
Examples:
It's time for a change.
It's been a long time.
It's the plumber. He's come to fix the sink.
The word its (without an apostrophe) shows
possession.
This is the exception to the rule.
Examples:
The dog opened its mouth.
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*It's and Its are common sources of apostrophe errors. We have been trained so well to add 's to make words possessive that we can't seem to stop doing it, even for the exception. Just remember that it's ALWAYS means it is.
Possessive Pronouns do not require apostrophes!
Examples:
Correct: yours, hers, his, theirs, ours
Incorrect: your's, yours', her's, hers', his', their's, theirs' our's, ours'
(These are not words! Don't ever write them this way!)
The Plural Possessive:
If a word is plural and ends in the letter s, place the apostrophe
after the s.
Examples:
All the schools' principals met in the convention center.
The three cats' toys are in the basement.
We went to the Joneses' house for dinner. (Add -es to pluralize Jones; then add the apostrophe. There will be more on this later.)
If a word is plural but does not end in s, place the apostrophe in its usual place before the s.
Examples:
The children's parents went on vacation.
The men's room is in the hallway.
She belongs to the Women's Auxillary Committee.
*The whole plural-possesssive thing is the cause of great confusion. Many people seem to think that because plural possessives involve apostrophes, all other plural words do too. This is unequivocally wrong! Here are some actual examples.
DON'T MAKE MISTAKES LIKE THESE:
- Piano's for Sale!
- Clark and Son's Removal's and Storage
- For Sale: Chicken's and Egg's
- A Note from the Thompsons'
- (Even worse: A Note from the Thompson's)
(None of these words need apostrophes. They are only plural, not possessive.)
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