Well, there are a few exceptions to the rule, e.g. “The word apostrophe contains two o’s.” But most of the time, when you are sticking that apostrophe in there, you ain’t s’posta be. The apostrophe indicates POSSESSIVE, not plural, as is “Jane likes to play with Dick’s ball.” Why is this problem so out of control? I even see professionally printed advertisements and flyers with this mistake. More importantly, why does this bother me so much? Do I need therapy?
No, you don’t need therapy.
Yes, it bothers me too.
What about Dick’s ball?
Yes, you DO need therapy.
Yes, it bothers me too, but only because I have always been confused about where to bung the apostrophe.
And I too am curious about Dick’s ball. What happened to the other one?
Ugh! That title is like fingernails scraping a chalkboard.
In search of Dick’s ball(s)…
And if a singlular noun ends in an “s”, the plural form is apostrophe s, not just an apostrophe, dammit!
Charles’ = bad!
Charles’s = good!
That is all.
I don’t know what happened to Dick’s ball, but I’m pretty sure the bung goes in the hole.
Oh, get over it. There are far worse places to be sticking apostrophes.
Actually, both of them are acceptable.
I used to think [Lois’s] looked silly but we had this huge debate on some other board and we did all kinds of searches. I’m not going to bother looking it up. It came up that both are acceptable.
I prefer it without the extra “s”. That’s how I was taught in school anyway.
Lois’ preference is no extra “s”.
But how do you pronounce it? “This is low-ess car” or “this is low-es-essz car”? The first way makes you sound like Tarzan. At the very least, if you SAY the final “s”, then SPELL OUT the final “s”.
And I have Strun-n-White to back me up, so there.
Not according to Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Angell. That’s an actual book, not a website, and it was recommended to me by an English teacher, so I’d have to go with them on this one.
According to them, the only time it’s acceptable to omit the extra “s” is in the case of historic religious figures. (e.g. Jesus’)
Wow, Strunk and White simulpost. How ya like that?
Apparently they thought it important enough to put on the first page of their book, too.
Ditto the Strunk and White reference.
I am still woefully ignorant on many of these things (though I don’t believe I’ve been guilty of putting apostrophes on plurals). Readiing Strunk and White has been a real eye-opener.
Omit needless words! Ye true believers of the Word of Strunk and White!
There was a character in The City Boy by Herman Wouk who said only the minimum amount of words needed to convey his meaning, and omitted the grammar, so that he sounded like a caveman. “Me and Mr. Smith go cup coffee.” Wouk parody Strunk?
Whoever figures out how to get millions of semiliterates to stop using the apostrophe in the possessive its deserves a Nobel Prize for English.
My first thought was it would be better to simplify the system. But HOW? It’s as FREAKING simple as it’s going to get.
If in doubt, LEAVE IT OUT!
If you miss an apostrophe in a possessive it looks like you’ve forgotten. If you’ve messed up “it(’)s” it’s easy to do. If you’ve messed up describing something belonging to many messiahs, you can claim it was supposed to be that way.
IF YOU MAKE A PLURAL’S* WITH AN APOSTROPHE YOU LOOK LIKE A FREAKING, MORONIC IDIOT!**
*irony
**I was so tempted to put an extra “!” there.
I per’sonally feel that every time an “'s” appear’s, there 'should be an apo’strophe in front of it. Thi’s 'should make thing’s ea’sier.
I thought I was pretty important.
Kicks dirt
Well, I’m going fishing, so if I am not too tiired when I get back on Sunday I may hust have to dig out where we got that from.
Minus the “i” and replace “h” with “j”.
Damn typing in the dark!
So much for the infallible Grammar Police, huh Lois?
And since we’re (note proper use of apostrophe) in the pit, who the fuck cares anyway?
I frequently make this error. It’s not because I don’t know the rule; it’s just a brain fart, as I’m typing along.
Let he who is without mistakes cast the first apostrophe.