Apostrophes
50 flashcards covering Apostrophes for the SAT Reading & Writing section.
Apostrophes are punctuation marks that help clarify meaning in English sentences. They primarily serve two purposes: indicating possession, as in "the cat's toy" to show the toy belongs to the cat, and forming contractions, like "don't" for "do not." Mastering apostrophes ensures your writing is precise and avoids common misunderstandings, making it essential for effective communication.
On the SAT Reading and Writing section, apostrophes appear in questions that test grammar and usage, often within sentence correction or identification tasks. You'll encounter multiple-choice items where you must spot errors, such as confusing "its" (possessive) with "it's" (it is), or incorrectly placing apostrophes in plurals. Common traps include overlooking context clues that determine whether an apostrophe is needed, so focus on rules for possession and contractions to identify the right answer efficiently.
Remember to double-check if an apostrophe shows ownership or shortens a word.
Terms (50)
- 01
Apostrophe
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark primarily used to show possession or to indicate the omission of letters in contractions.
- 02
Contraction
A contraction combines two words by omitting letters and using an apostrophe, such as 'can't' for 'cannot', to make writing more concise.
- 03
Possessive Form
The possessive form uses an apostrophe to indicate ownership, typically by adding 's to a singular noun or just an apostrophe to a plural noun ending in s.
- 04
Singular Possessive
For a singular noun, form the possessive by adding an apostrophe and s, like 'the cat's toy', to show what belongs to it.
- 05
Plural Possessive
For plural nouns ending in s, form the possessive by adding just an apostrophe, such as 'the cats' bowls', to indicate shared ownership.
- 06
Possessive with Nouns Ending in S
Even for singular nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe and s to show possession, like 'James's car', though some styles use just an apostrophe.
- 07
Its
Its is a possessive pronoun meaning belonging to it, as in 'The dog ate its food', and should not be confused with the contraction 'it's'.
- 08
It's
It's is a contraction for 'it is' or 'it has', such as 'It's raining', and is used when combining those words.
- 09
Whose
Whose is a possessive pronoun used to ask about ownership, like 'Whose book is on the table?', indicating possession.
- 10
Who's
Who's is a contraction for 'who is' or 'who has', for example 'Who's going to the store?', and differs from the possessive 'whose'.
- 11
Apostrophe in Plural Nouns
Do not use an apostrophe to form regular plurals, such as 'apples' for more than one apple, as apostrophes are not for pluralization.
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Irregular Plural Possessive
For irregular plural nouns not ending in s, like 'children', add an apostrophe and s to show possession, as in 'children's toys'.
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Compound Noun Possessive
In a compound noun, add the apostrophe to the last word, such as 'attorney general's decision', to indicate possession.
- 14
Joint Possession
For two or more owners sharing something, add the apostrophe only to the last name, like 'Tom and Jerry's adventure', to show common ownership.
- 15
Separate Possession
When each owner has something individually, add an apostrophe to each name, such as 'Tom's and Jerry's adventures', for distinct possession.
- 16
Apostrophe with Time or Quantity
Use an apostrophe to show possession with expressions of time or quantity, like 'one day's work' or 'two weeks' notice'.
- 17
Common Apostrophe Error: Plural vs. Possessive
A frequent mistake is adding an apostrophe to make a plural, like 'apple's for sale' instead of 'apples for sale', which is incorrect.
- 18
Apostrophe in Acronyms
For possessive acronyms, add an apostrophe and s, such as 'NASA's mission', to indicate ownership.
- 19
No Apostrophe in Pronouns
Possessive pronouns like hers, ours, and theirs do not use an apostrophe, as they are already possessive forms.
- 20
Apostrophe with Hyphenated Words
In hyphenated compound words, add the apostrophe to the end, like 'sister-in-law's birthday', for possession.
- 21
Strategy for Spotting Apostrophe Errors
To identify apostrophe errors, read the sentence aloud and check if the word shows ownership or a contraction; if neither, the apostrophe is likely wrong.
- 22
Apostrophe in Contractions with Not
Contractions with 'not' use an apostrophe, like 'didn't' for 'did not', to replace the omitted letters.
- 23
Double Possessive
A double possessive combines 'of' with an apostrophe, such as 'a friend of Bob's', which is correct in informal contexts.
- 24
Apostrophe with Names Ending in S
For names ending in s, like Chris, the possessive can be 'Chris's' or 'Chris'', but consistency in style is key.
- 25
Avoiding Apostrophes in Adjectives
Do not use apostrophes in possessive adjectives like my, your, his, as they are not contractions or possessives needing one.
- 26
Apostrophe in Informal Writing
In informal contexts, apostrophes in contractions make text flow better, but formal SAT writing prefers full forms to avoid ambiguity.
- 27
Example of Correct Contraction
A correct contraction uses an apostrophe to replace missing letters, such as 'I'm' for 'I am', improving readability.
- 28
Misuse of Apostrophe in Dates
Do not use an apostrophe in dates like 1990s; write it as '1990s' without an apostrophe for plural, not possession.
- 29
Apostrophe with Collective Nouns
For collective nouns like team, use an apostrophe and s for possession, as in 'the team's victory', if treated as a unit.
- 30
Common Trap: It's vs. Its in Sentences
In sentences, ensure 'it's' is only for 'it is' or 'it has', while 'its' shows possession, to avoid frequent mix-ups.
- 31
Apostrophe in Possessive Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns like someone's or anybody's use an apostrophe and s to show possession.
- 32
No Apostrophe in Plural Acronyms
For plural acronyms, like CDs, do not use an apostrophe; it's simply 'CDs' without one.
- 33
Strategy for Contractions on the SAT
On the SAT, watch for contractions that might obscure meaning; expand them mentally to check for errors in context.
- 34
Apostrophe with Expressions of Value
Use an apostrophe for possession in value expressions, like 'a dollar's worth', to indicate what something is equivalent to.
- 35
Correcting Apostrophe Errors
To correct apostrophe errors, identify if the word needs to show ownership or contraction; if not, remove the apostrophe.
- 36
Apostrophe in Titles
In titles, apostrophes follow the same rules, like 'The Lion King's roar', to maintain proper possession.
- 37
Avoiding Apostrophes in Numbers
Do not use apostrophes for plurals of numbers, such as 'the 1990s' instead of 'the 1990's'.
- 38
Example of Possessive Plural
A proper possessive plural is 'the teachers' lounge', where the apostrophe after s shows the lounge belongs to the teachers.
- 39
Apostrophe with Foreign Words
For possessive forms of foreign words, follow English rules, like 'the alumni's reunion' for a plural Latin word.
- 40
Common Error: Apostrophe in Greetings
In greetings like 'Happy Holidays', do not use an apostrophe unless it's possessive, such as 'Holiday's eve'.
- 41
Apostrophe in Contractions with Will
Contractions like 'I'll' for 'I will' use an apostrophe to replace the omitted 'wi'.
- 42
Strategy for Possessives on the SAT
On the SAT, test possessives by substituting the noun; if it shows ownership, ensure the apostrophe is placed correctly.
- 43
Apostrophe with Multiple Words
For phrases acting as possessives, add the apostrophe to the last word, like 'the Queen of England's crown'.
- 44
No Apostrophe in Descriptive Phrases
Do not use an apostrophe in descriptive phrases like 'farmers market', as it's not possessive.
- 45
Example of Incorrect Apostrophe Use
An incorrect use is 'apple's are red', which should be 'apples are red' since it's a plural, not possessive.
- 46
Apostrophe in Possessive of It
The possessive of 'it' is 'its' without an apostrophe, unlike contractions.
- 47
Advanced Use: Apostrophe in Idioms
In idiomatic expressions, apostrophes maintain standard possessive rules, like 'mind your p's and q's'.
- 48
Trap: Confusing Contractions and Possessives
A common trap is using 'your's' instead of 'yours', as 'yours' is a possessive pronoun without an apostrophe.
- 49
Apostrophe with Surnames
For surnames in possessives, add an apostrophe and s, like 'the Smiths' house', for plural possessive.
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Final Strategy: Proofreading for Apostrophes
When proofreading, check each apostrophe to ensure it indicates either possession or a contraction, as per SAT standards.