[QUOTE=Hung Mung]
English is full of those little idiosyncracies. I think somewhere in the next twenty-five years or so the apostrophe will go the way of the semicolon; disused, misunderstood and generally frowned upon because few can use it correctly.
[/QUOTE]
But the problem is not that they are leaving it out when needed, they are wasting the time, effort, and ink to insert it (') when not needed. Fighting ignorance since 1973 (when I moved to NC).
[QUOTE=Frylock]
I sat here for five minutes trying to figure out why you think I hate predicates. :smack: 
[/QUOTE]
Now, THAT’s funny. 
[QUOTE=Savannah]
I knew there would be something–and I am ashamed.
However, I’d had three drinks by the time I got arrived at pitting my pathetic lunch. I didn’t simply press “post”, however. I checked, first. Blearily, I peered at the screen, searching for the error I knew had to be lurking.
It escaped me completely.
Why, oh, why did it have to involve an APOSTROPHE? I’ve just poured my fourth drink, and I’m eating broccoli.
[/QUOTE]
That “i’m” reminds me of the unwritten (?) rules about using “I’m” as a contraction of “I am”. It obviously doesn’t always work. I remember seeing/hearing foreign folks (on the news usually) responding to a question such as “Are you happy about the toppling of Saddam?” And the local Iraqi said, “Yes, I’m.” (For “yes, I am.”)
Elret:“I’m afraid to use “me”. I thought I used to use it correctly (as in “Leave it to Sue and me”) but I had so many people correct me that now I will cringe and say “Leave it to Sue and I” because I know they’ll think I’m dumb otherwise.
But it feels so wrong.”
If you have time to think about it before you say or write it, think, would I say “Leave it to Me” or would you say “Leave it to I”? That should solve your dilemma.
Liberal "Originally Posted by GuanoLad
My point is that almost nobody knows that “its” is part of the “yours hers his” group, so that won’t help people remember.
You must be joking. Don’t they teach conjugations in school anymore?"
No, just about conjugal visits.
[QUOTE=Ignatz]
If you have time to think about it before you say or write it, think, would I say “Leave it to Me” or would you say “Leave it to I”? That should solve your dilemma.
[/QUOTE]
Oh, I know. But it seems like a lot of people don’t, and like to correct what they think is an error. I have rarely seen or heard the correct usage among my coworkers, and have been incorrectly corrected many times. Almost everyone I know thinks “x and I” is always correct and “x and me” is always wrong. I do like your way of explaining how to know when to use which one - I have gotten a few converts with it.
[QUOTE=DrDeth]
Is it a common usage?**
“It’s” as the possesive qualifies under both, thus it is OK, like it or not.
[/QUOTE]
No reputable newspaper in the English-speaking world would print “it’s” as a possessive. I’m sure it happens once in awhile, but in error. The possessive is always “its” in any decent publication, and I challenge anyone to show me an example to the contrary.