Writing Matters
| Publication year | 2021 |
| Pages | 0058 |
| Citation | Vol. 26 No. 5 Pg. 0058 |
The Amazing (and Amazingly Misused) Apostrophe
An apostrophe is a critical form of punctuation. To reduce mistakes in usage, keep their purposes and these common mistakes in mind.
BY DAVID HRICIK AND KAREN J. SNEDDON
Punctuation helps writers convey their intended meaning. Used incorrectly, punctuation can create ambiguity and erode the writer's credibility with the reader. This installment of "Writing Matters" focuses on the apostrophe, a valuable form of punctuation that is sometimes overlooked and misused. We first summarize the three key purposes of the apostrophe and then share three common apostrophe mistakes made even by experienced writers.
The Apostrophe's Three Key Purposes
To Show Possession
Apostrophes are used to create possessives, to convey ownership. Usually, this means the apostrophe indicates ownership by a noun. A statute's purpose will inform a court's interpretation. An apostrophe and the letter "s" follow both the singular noun "statute" and the singular noun "court" to indicate ownership of the following word, "purpose" and "interpretation."
Plural nouns are no different: Writers' habits have changed as more and more writers compose drafts exclusively on digital devices. In that sentence, the word "writers" is both plural, referring to more than one writer, and possessive, indicating their ownership of the word "habits." To indicate possession by a plural noun, the apostrophe is most often followed by the letter "s": The motion will focus on the children's best interests. Or an apostrophe follows a plural noun ending in "s," as in "writers' habits."
To Show Omitted Letter(s)
Apostrophes can be used to indicate omission of a letter or letters, including what are known as "contractions." Contractions are shortened forms of a word or group of words from which one or more letters have been omitted, such as "aren't" and "don't." The apostrophe takes the place of omitted letters.
Contractions are more commonly used in informal writing, so legal writers typically limit their use to emails. But, when a contraction is used, the apostrophe must be placed properly. Consider this sentence: I've often said that I don't like legal writing; I love legal writing! The word "I've" is the shortened form of the
The speed of typing and the pace of handwriting can sometimes cause misplacement of an apostrophe in an initial draft....
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