Who does'nt understand their apostrophe's?

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bonj2

Guest
mr_hippo said:
In contractions, the apostrophe indicates a missing letter(s) e.g. can't, doesn't, isn't, wasn't, etc.

The first one is correct, the second - are 'the Geoffs' a family? If Mr Geoffs and Mrs Geoffs both have a car then it is correct. If you are referring to Geoff (singular) and multiple cars then it would be 'the Geoff's cars'.
er... no, because if there was one bloke called Geoff you'd just refer to him as "Geoff", you wouldn't refer to him as "THE Geoff". :rolleyes:

mr_hippo said:
In modern usage, you do not need to use apostrophes with numbers - the 1900s, the 60s or with things like CDs.

A lof of people think you do. As in, people who normally get all other usages of apostrophe correct. Especially with TLAs, you always get them used with them... Is it ok to? I would have said not, but am open to other interpretations...
 

surfgurl

New Member
Location
Somerset
The apostrophe to denote a missing letter was once explained to me as a gravestone in memory of the missing letter/s. I think that's quite a nice way to explain it.
I used to have a lot of trouble with to/too, but I think I have that one cracked now.
 

yoyo

Senior Member
I understand apostrophes but I am foreign too; spelling, grammar and punctuation were paramount in English. Why are there two deliberate mistakes in the title of this thread?
 

Abitrary

New Member
Crackle said:
posessive apostrophes. Never can remember.

That's Geoff's car
They're the Geoffs' cars

Is that right?

Think you can do the possessive ones how you like, like Jesus', Jesuses, Jesu's etc.
 

Abitrary

New Member
Kate Mosses, Moss's, Mos'ses, Mosss
 

mr_hippo

Living Legend & Old Fart
bonj said:
er... no, because if there was one bloke called Geoff you'd just refer to him as "Geoff", you wouldn't refer to him as "THE Geoff". ;)
My mistake for not proof reading:blush:
A lof of people think you do. As in, people who normally get all other usages of apostrophe correct. Especially with TLAs, you always get them used with them... Is it ok to? I would have said not, but am open to other interpretations...Although not correct, I think that it would be OK to use it.
Abitrary said:
Think you can do the possessive ones how you like, like Jesus', Jesuses, Jesu's etc.
Abitrary said:
Kate Mosses, Moss's, Mos'ses, Mosss
Sorry but no you can't!
Jesu's - used in hymns - poetic licence
Jesus' - correct
Jesuses - more than one Jesus; same with Mosses - 'The Mosses have finally moved', 'The Mosses were killed in an explosion' (A family called Moss). Could also be used when talking about different types of moss (the plant).
Mosses - her name is Moss!
Moss's - correct but old fashioned, drop the final 's' - Moss'
Mos'ses - why have you put the apostrophe in the name?
Mosss - If I saw that I would immediately say 'typo!'
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
Apostrophes are relatively easy. It's the correct use of commas that's a problem.

My biggest problem with apostrophes is that I would like to put one in certain plurals because otherwise it makes it look different to how you would pronounce it. For example, pizzas or logos. The plural of logo is logos. Why isn't it logoes? I read someone suggest we use ~ in place of an apostrophe for cases like this.
 

rob_mcp

New Member
I agree Fang - but any consideration of commas, semicolons, etc. - except where a list is being given - can be overcome by outrageous over use of the hyphen.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
I like it when I see a sign in a shop or even a sign written van or something and it says something like "Window's and Doors". Like they couldn't decide which was right, so use both...
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
grafitti seen on a wall:

"nigger's out"

under which was written (by another)

"what time's he back?"

classic, especially as it makes the idiot who did the original graffito look even more ignorant (if that's possible).
 
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