It explains that apostrophes are used to show possession and form contractions. For possession, an apostrophe is added after the singular possessive noun or after the plural noun if it does not already end in "s". Common contractions include using apostrophes to replace missing letters in words like "I'm", "can't" and "won't". The document provides examples and exercises for readers to practice using apostrophes correctly.

1. The Apostrophe
What do I need it for?

2. This is Johns room.
How do I
know that
this room
belongs to
John?

3. This is John‟s room.
You need an
apostrophe to show
possession. If you
only add an “s”, you
are making the word
plural.

4. But what if the word is plural?

5. You do not need to add an extra “s”
if you have added an “s” to make
the word plural
• Let‟s say that John shares his room with
his two brothers, Jake and Joe. If you
were to refer to their room, you might say:
This is the brothers’ room.
– You only need to add an apostrophe to
show possession in this case.

6. And if you wanted to list the
brothers‟ names, and then show
possession?
• This is John, Jake, and Joe‟s room.
You place the
apostrophe
and “s” at the
end of the list.

7. And what do you do if the word
already ends in “s”?
You still add the apostrophe and
“s”.
Ex. This is Chris‟s car.

8. Let‟s practice!

9. Add the apostrophe and “s” in the
appropriate place.
• I love Jen scarf!
• That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy car.
• The princess castle is beautiful!
• I went to my mom room to get her
hairbrush.
• My sister favorite dessert is pie.
• The girls love to play with their Barbie
dolls.

10. Did you get it right?
Let‟s check your answers!

11. I love Jen‟s scarf!
That is Mike, Todd, and Jeremy‟s
car.
The princess‟s castle is beautiful!
I went to my mom‟s room to get her
hairbrush.
My sister‟s favorite dessert is pie.
The girls‟ love to play with their
Barbie dolls.

12. So, you know how to show
possession.
What else would you need the
apostrophe for?

13. The apostrophe indicates that
letters are missing in contractions.
• A contractions is when you contract, or
combine, two words.
• This is a device that you might use in a
colloquial, or conversational form of
writing.

14. Common Contractions
• Have= ‟ve
– Ex. I‟ve=I have, could‟ve=could have (Do not
say could of!), etc…

15. More Common Contractions
• I am-I‟m
• Not=n‟t
– Ex. couldn‟t=could not, can‟t=cannot,
shouldn‟t=should not

16. And More Common
Contractions
• I‟d-I would
• Are=‟re
– Ex. They‟re=they are, we‟re=we are

17. Apostrophes can also be use to
contract years
• 1990=„90
• 2001=„01

18. Let‟s Practice!

19. Create a contraction from the
following:
• Cannot
• Will not
• Should have
• Could have
• 1990
• I will
• You are
• They are
• We will not
• It is

20. Did you get it right?
Let‟s (a contraction for let us) check
your answers!

21. • Can‟t
• Won‟t
• Should‟ve
• Could‟ve
• „90
• I‟ll
• You‟re
• They‟re
• We won‟t
• It‟s

22. Now it‟s time for you to practice
everything that you have worked
on!

23. Copy this link in your web browser
to test your knowledge!
• www.bbc.co.uk/skillwise/game/en29punc-
game-beat-the-clock-apostrophes