Apostrophe Resources

Of all the punctuation marks, apostrophes are the smallest. They’re just little tiny flecks of ink that float beside the tops of letters. You see them in words like you’re, it’s, and 90’s. They tell you that Sam’s Deli belongs to Sam or that you might meet Ruby at Ruby’s Diner. To help you practice your apostrophes after doing our worksheets, games, and activities, here are a few fun facts and tips about the tiny punctuation marks:

• You never use an apostrophe to make a word plural. So it’s not correct when people write, “kitten’s” to mean several baby cats.
• A plural possessive is tricky. When the plural word ends in -s, place the apostrophe at the end, as in “cats’ toy.” When the plural word does not end in -s, the possessive is formed normally, as in “the men’s hats.”
• Kids will have an easier time with contractions when they remember that an apostrophe is used to replace a few letters. For example, the apostrophe in “you’ll” replaces “wi” in the word “will.”
• It’s and its can be confusing. “It’s” means “it is” while “its” is the possessive. For example, “it’s tough to find its home.”
• They’re, their, and there can be confusing. Remember, apostrophes replace letters, which is a good tip to remember that “they’re” is “they are.” Some people write “their happy,” when they mean to say “they’re happy.”

Can’t get enough of punctuation? Give our resources on commasa try!