[stylist] grammatical usage of apostrophes

[Lynda Lambert]

not unless it is the
Smiths family  who own the house rather than the Smith family. The way you 
used the apostrophe indicates that the last letter of the word is S.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] grammatical usage of apostrophes


> But you would use the apostrophe if you said the Smiths' house is the 
> second on the left, wouldn't you?
> Barbara
>
>
>
>
> Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. -- Carl Sandburg
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: loristay at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:25 AM
> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [stylist] grammatical usage of apostrophes
>
> This is a technical answer to a question no one has asked, but it's 
> nagging to be answered anyway.
>
>
> Simple plurals do not take apostrophe s.  The apostrophe for the most part 
> indicates possession or the dropping of a letter.  For example, do not 
> becomes don't.  But if we are talking about a family, say, the Smiths, 
> then there is no apostrophe.  Mr. Smith, of the Boston Smiths ( S m i t h 
> s), will be visiting the New York area shortly.
>
>
> In some areas, the possessive is built into the word.  So for example, His 
> bed means the bed belongs to him, and no apostrophe is necessary.  The bed 
> is hers--now it belongs to her, but still takes no apostrophe.  The word 
> "its" (i t s) meaning something belongs to "it" such as -- the dog dropped 
> its ball--takes no apostrophe.  The apostrophe in the word "it's" (i t ' 
> s) means that the word is short for "it is."
>
>
> (apologies ahead to dog lovers who object to the objectification of the 
> dog.)
> Yours grammatically,
> Lori
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