Wordplay©
Grammar clinic

Apostrophes are a form of punctuation.
They serve two purposes in English.

They show possession – that something belongs to someone or something

We don’t say in English:

'That is the umbrella of Jayne’

we say:

“That is Jayne’s umbrella.”

The umbrella belongs to Jayne, so it is Jayne’s.

Whenever in doubt of where to use a possessive apostrophe, just think:

• Who does the umbrella belong to?
• Jayne
• So it is Jayne’s umbrella.

So:

The children’s umbrella. (Because the brolly belongs to the children – maybe they share one. It would be the same for ‘children’s books’ when you’re talking about children generally).

The teacher’s umbrella. (One teacher – and the umbrella belongs to him or her.)

The teachers’ umbrella. (More than one teacher – maybe they have to share umbrellas too. This would be the same for ‘teachers’ association’ or ‘teachers’ union’.)

It is also possible to get into a possessive apostrophe pickle over names that end in ‘s’.

There are two ways of dealing with this. Both are right, but one looks much better. Eg:

Jesus’s umbrella.

Jesus’ umbrella.

Confusion can creep in where ownership is a bit less tangible – but it’s still there and the same rules apply.

Five years’ experience required.

The experience belongs to the years – so the apostrophe goes after years.

One year’s experience required.

The experience belongs to the year – so the apostrophe goes after year.

Apostrophes are also used to contract words – to show where ‘knocked out’ letters would have gone.

That’s an umbrella. (Instead of that is an umbrella – the apostrophe replaces the ‘i’.)

What’s that? (The apostrophe replaces the ‘i’.)

5 o’clock  (The original way of expressing time on a clock was to say ‘five of the clock’ – so the apostrophe replaces ‘f the’.)

Let’s go home! (The apostrophe replaces the ‘u’ of ‘Let us go home’.)

O’er hill and vale. (The apostrophe replaces the ‘v’ in over.)

Apostrophes are not used in plurals

Pear’s 40p  - means the 40p belongs to the pear. This should read: Pears – 40p

Hits of the 80’s - Nooo! You’re talking about the nineteen-eighties, plural (more than one year starting with nineteen-eighty) - so 80s, no apostrophe.

Just because you see something in print doesn’t mean it’s correct. Loads of people fail to use grammar correctly. Know the rules and trust yourself to get it right, despite what anyone else is saying or writing.