Apostrophes: contractions and possession

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What is an Apostrophe?

An apostrophe (') is a small punctuation mark that looks like a floating comma.
It has two main jobs: to show missing letters and to show ownership.
You will see apostrophes in many words you read and write every day.

Job 1: Contractions (Shortened Words)

A contraction is a short way to join two words together.
When we make a contraction, we leave out one or more letters and put an apostrophe in their place.
For example, 'do not' becomes don't – the apostrophe shows where the 'o' is missing.
Other examples: 'I am' → I'm, 'we will' → we'll, 'would not' → wouldn't.
The apostrophe always goes exactly where the missing letters were, not just anywhere.

Job 2: Showing Ownership (Possession)

An apostrophe can show that something belongs to someone or something.
For one owner (singular), add 's to the noun. Example: the dog's bowl means the bowl of one dog.
For more than one owner (plural) that already ends in 's', just add an apostrophe after the 's'. Example: the dogs' bowls means the bowls of many dogs.
For plural words that do not end in 's', add 's. Example: the children's game (children is plural but doesn't end in 's').
Remember: the apostrophe shows ownership, not just that a word is plural.

The Tricky Its vs. It's

It's with an apostrophe means 'it is' or 'it has' – it is a contraction.
Its without an apostrophe shows ownership – it means 'belonging to it'.
Example: 'The cat licked its paw' (ownership). 'It's raining' (it is raining).
Why? Because possessive words like 'its' do not need an apostrophe – they already show ownership.

Possessive Pronouns Never Use Apostrophes

Possessive pronouns are words that show ownership without an apostrophe.
These include hers, theirs, ours, yours, and its.
They already mean 'belonging to her', 'belonging to them', etc., so they never take an apostrophe.
Don't write 'her's' or 'their's' – that's a common mistake!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't use an apostrophe to make a noun plural. For example, write 'apples' not 'apple's'.
Don't confuse 'its' (ownership) with 'it's' (it is).
Don't put an apostrophe in possessive pronouns like 'hers' or 'theirs'.
Check where the missing letter is in contractions – the apostrophe goes there.
For plural possession, if the word ends in 's', the apostrophe goes after the 's'.

Practice Tips

When you see a word with an apostrophe, ask: Is it a contraction or showing ownership?
To check a contraction, try saying the two full words. For example, 'don't' → 'do not'.
To check possession, ask: 'Who does it belong to?' Then decide if it's one owner or many.
Read your writing aloud – it can help you hear if an apostrophe is missing or in the wrong place.

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1.What are the two jobs of an apostrophe?
Easy
- ATo show where letters are missing and to show possession
- BTo make words plural and to show possession
- CTo show where letters are missing and to make words plural
- DTo show emphasis and to make words plural
2.Which word is a contraction?
Easy
- Adon't
- Bdog's
- Cchildren's
- Dits
3.The apostrophe in 'the dog's bowl' shows that the bowl belongs to the dog.
Easy
True or false?
4.The apostrophe in 'the dogs' bowls' shows that one dog owns the bowls.
Easy
True or false?
5.Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?
Easy
- AThe cat's are sleeping.
- BThe cats' are sleeping.
- CThe cat's sleeping.
- DThe cats's sleeping.
6.Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'The bird flew from ___ nest.'
Easy
- Aits
- Bit's
- Cits'
- Dits's
7.Which word is the contraction of 'they are'?
Easy
- Atheir
- Bthere
- Cthey're
- Dtheyr'e
8.Select all the words that are contractions. (select all that apply)
Medium
- Awe'll
- Bwouldn't
- Chers
- Dit's
- Eours

Thêm câu hỏi

9.The word 'hers' should be written with an apostrophe: 'her's'.
Medium
True or false?
10.Which sentence correctly shows plural possession?
Medium
- AThe girls' dresses are pretty.
- BThe girl's dresses are pretty.
- CThe girls dresses are pretty.
- DThe girls's dresses are pretty.
11.What does the apostrophe show in the word 'wouldn't'?
Medium
- AIt shows possession.
- BIt shows that a letter is missing.
- CIt makes the word plural.
- DIt shows emphasis.
12.Choose the correct sentence.
Medium
- AThe dog wagged it's tail.
- BThe dog wagged its tail.
- CThe dog wagged its' tail.
- DThe dog wagged its's tail.
13.In the sentence 'The men's toilet is clean', the apostrophe shows that the toilet belongs to the men.
Medium
True or false?
14.Which sentence is correct?
Medium
- AYour going to love this.
- BYou're going to love this.
- CYore going to love this.
- DYoure going to love this.
15.Select all the sentences that use apostrophes correctly. (select all that apply)
Medium
- AThe cats are sleeping.
- BThe cat's sleeping.
- CThe cats' toys are in the box.
- DThe cat's toys are in the box.
- EThe cats toys are in the box.
16.Match each word to its correct meaning.
Medium
- its
- it's
- its'
- possessive pronoun
- contraction of 'it is'
- incorrect form
17.Put these words in the correct order to make a sentence showing plural possession: 'girls', 'the', 'dresses', 'are', 'pretty', ''' (apostrophe).
Medium
- The
- girls'
- dresses
- are
- pretty.
18.Which of the following is the correct plural possessive form of 'glass'?
Medium
- Aglass's
- Bglasses'
- Cglasses's
- Dglasses
19.The word 'ours' should have an apostrophe: 'our's'.
Medium
True or false?
20.Match each contraction to the two words it is made from.
Easy
- don't
- it's
- we'll
- do not
- it is
- we will
21.Put these words in the correct order to make a sentence showing that one girl owns a dress. Use the apostrophe correctly.
Medium
- girl's
- The
- dress
- is
- pretty
22.The word 'its' (without an apostrophe) shows possession, like in 'The dog wagged its tail.'
Easy
True or false?
23.Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly to show that the books belong to the teacher?
Medium
- AThe teachers books are on the desk.
- BThe teacher's books are on the desk.
- CThe teachers' books are on the desk.
- DThe teachers's books are on the desk.
24.Which sentence correctly shows that the two girls own the same bicycle?
Medium
- AThe girls bicycle is pink.
- BThe girl's bicycle is pink.
- CThe girls' bicycle is pink.
- DThe girls's bicycle is pink.
25.Choose the correct contraction for 'they will'.
Easy
- Athey'll
- Btheyll
- Cthey'ill
- Dthey'l
26.The word 'its' (without an apostrophe) is used to show possession, as in 'The cat licked its paw.'
Easy
True or false?
27.Put these words in the correct order to make a sentence showing that one boy owns a hat. Use the apostrophe correctly.
Medium
- boy's
- the
- hat
- is
- red
28.Read this sentence: 'The children's laughter filled the room as they played with the toys.' What does the apostrophe in 'children's' show?
Medium
- AThe laughter belongs to one child.
- BThe laughter belongs to many children.
- CThe word 'children' is a contraction of 'child is'.
- DThe toys belong to the children.
29.Read this extract: 'The teacher's desk was cluttered with papers, but the students' backpacks were neatly hung on their hooks.' Which of the following statements are true? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AThe apostrophe in 'teacher's' shows that one teacher owns the desk.
- BThe apostrophe in 'students'' shows that many students own the backpacks.
- CThe word 'their' is a contraction for 'they are'.
- DThe word 'their' shows possession and does not need an apostrophe.
- EThe word 'papers' shows possession because it has an s.
30.In the sentence 'The dog's tail wagged happily, but its owner was sad.', the apostrophe in 'its' shows that the owner belongs to the dog.
Medium
True or false?
31.Match each phrase to what the apostrophe shows. (Read each phrase carefully.)
Medium
- the girls' dresses
- the girl's dress
- the children's game
- the dogs' bowls
- one girl owns a dress
- many girls own dresses
- many children own a game
- many dogs own bowls
32.Read this extract: 'The men's toilet is on the left, but the women's is on the right.' What does the apostrophe in 'men's' show?
Hard
- AThe toilet belongs to one man.
- BThe toilet belongs to more than one man.
- CThe word 'men' is a contraction of 'me in'.
- DThe toilet is for men only, but 'men' is plural so it should be 'mens''.
33.In the sentence 'The cat licked its paw, but it's still dirty.', the word 'its' shows possession and the word 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is'.
Medium
True or false?
34.Read this extract: 'The boss's car was parked outside, but the employees' cars were in the garage. The company's rules said no one could park on the street.' Which of the following statements are correct? (select all that apply)
Hard
- AThe apostrophe in 'boss's' shows that one boss owns the car.
- BThe apostrophe in 'employees'' shows that many employees own the cars.
- CThe apostrophe in 'company's' shows that the company owns the rules.
- DThe word 'no one' should be written as 'no-one' with an apostrophe.
- EThe word 'cars' should have an apostrophe to show possession.
35.What is the name of the punctuation mark that looks like a floating comma and is used to show missing letters or possession?
Easy
- Aapostrophe
- Bcomma
- Cperiod
- Dquestion mark
36.The apostrophe in the word 'don't' shows that a letter is missing.
Easy
True or false?
37.In the word 'we'll', the apostrophe shows that a letter is missing. Which letter is missing?
Easy
- Aw
- Be
- Ci
- Dl
38.Which of the following words is a possessive pronoun and should NOT have an apostrophe?
Easy
- Ahers
- Bher's
- Ctheir's
- Dour's
39.The word 'its' (without an apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun, like in 'The dog wagged its tail.'
Easy
True or false?
40.Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly to show that one dog owns a bone?
Medium
- AThe dog's bone is buried.
- BThe dogs' bone is buried.
- CThe dogs bone is buried.
- DThe dog' bone is buried.
41.Fill in the blank with the correct contraction for 'do not'.
Easy
I ____ want any more cake.
42.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'dog' to show that one dog owns the bone.
Easy
The ____ bone is buried in the garden.
43.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'dogs' to show that many dogs own the bones.
Easy
The ____ bones are in the basket.
44.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'children' to show that the children own the toys.
Easy
The ____ toys are scattered on the floor.
45.Fill in the blank with the correct contraction for 'we will'.
Medium
____ go to the park tomorrow.
46.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'boss' to show that one boss has a car.
Medium
The ____ car is parked outside.
47.What is the contraction of 'they have'?
Medium
48.Write the correct contraction for 'they are'.
Medium
49.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'dog' to show that one dog owns a bone.
Easy
The ____ bone is buried in the garden.
50.Fill in the blank with the correct possessive form of 'dogs' to show that many dogs own bones.
Easy
The ____ bones are buried in the garden.
51.Write the correct possessive form of 'baby' to show that one baby owns a bottle.
Medium
52.Complete the sentence with the correct contraction for 'we are'.
Easy
____ going to the park.
53.Explain the difference between 'its' and 'it's', and give one example sentence for each.
Hard
54.Correct the apostrophe errors in this sentence: 'The dogs bowl is empty, but the cats are full.'
Hard
55.Explain why 'the children's game' uses an apostrophe, and write one sentence using 'children's' correctly.
Hard
56.Read this sentence: 'The cat's whiskers twitched, but the dogs' barking scared it away.' Explain what the apostrophe in 'cat's' shows and what the apostrophe in 'dogs'' shows. Use the words 'singular' and 'plural' in your answer.
Medium

Ghi chú ôn tập

## Apostrophes: Contractions and Possession An **apostrophe** (') is a small punctuation mark with two main jobs in English. ### Job 1: Contractions (shortening words) A **contraction** is a shorter way to say two words by joining them and leaving out some letters. The apostrophe shows where the missing letters were. - **do not** → **don't** (the 'o' is missing) - **I am** → **I'm** (the 'a' is missing) - **we will** → **we'll** (the 'wi' is missing) - **would not** → **wouldn't** (the 'o' is missing) **Rule:** Put the apostrophe exactly where the missing letters are, not where the words join. ### Job 2: Possession (showing ownership) Possession means something belongs to someone or something. The apostrophe helps show that. **For one owner (singular):** Add **'s** to the end of the word. - The **dog's** bowl (one dog) - The **girl's** book (one girl) **For more than one owner (plural):** If the word already ends in **s**, just add an apostrophe after the **s**. - The **dogs'** bowls (more than one dog) - The **girls'** books (more than one girl) **For irregular plurals** (words that don't end in **s** when plural): Add **'s**. - The **children's** game (children is plural, but doesn't end in s) - The **men's** toilet ### The Its/It's Trap - **it's** = **it is** (contraction). Example: **It's** raining. - **its** = shows possession (belongs to it). Example: The dog wagged **its** tail. **Remember:** Possessive pronouns like **hers**, **theirs**, **ours**, **yours** never take an apostrophe. They already show possession. ### Quick Check - **don't** → contraction (missing 'o') - **the cat's whiskers** → one cat owns the whiskers - **the cats' whiskers** → more than one cat owns the whiskers - **the children's toys** → children is plural, but no 's', so add 's Practice by finding apostrophes in your reading and deciding if they show contraction or possession!

apostrophe: A punctuation mark (') used to show missing letters in contractions or to show possession.
contraction: A shortened word made by joining two words and leaving out some letters, with an apostrophe showing where the letters are missing (e.g., don't = do not).
possession: Showing that something belongs to someone or something, using an apostrophe (e.g., the dog's bowl).
singular: One person or thing (e.g., dog).
plural: More than one person or thing (e.g., dogs).
irregular plural: A plural that does not end in 's', like children or men.
possessive pronoun: Words like hers, theirs, ours, yours that show ownership without an apostrophe.
its: The possessive form of 'it', meaning belonging to it (e.g., its tail).
it's: A contraction for 'it is' (e.g., it's raining).

Thẻ ghi nhớ

What are the two jobs of an apostrophe?

An apostrophe can show missing letters in a contraction (like don't) or show possession (like the dog's bowl).

What is a contraction?

A contraction is a short way to write two words by putting them together and leaving out some letters. An apostrophe shows where the letters are missing.

Where does the apostrophe go in a contraction?

The apostrophe goes where the missing letters were. For example, 'do not' becomes 'don't' because the 'o' is missing.

Write the contraction for 'do not'.

don't

Write the contraction for 'it is'.

it's

Write the contraction for 'we will'.

we'll

Write the contraction for 'would not'.

wouldn't

What does 'it's' mean?

It's means 'it is' or 'it has'. For example, 'It's raining.'

What does 'its' mean?

Its shows possession, like 'the dog chased its tail'. It does not have an apostrophe.

Why does 'its' (possessive) not have an apostrophe?

Because 'its' is a possessive pronoun like 'hers' or 'theirs'. Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe.

What does an apostrophe show in 'the dog's bowl'?

It shows that the bowl belongs to one dog. This is singular possession.

How do you show that one dog owns a bowl?

Write 'the dog's bowl' – add an apostrophe and an 's' to the noun.

How do you show that two or more dogs own a bowl?

Write 'the dogs' bowl' – add an apostrophe after the plural 's'.

What is the difference between 'dog's' and 'dogs''?

'Dog's' is singular possessive (one dog owns something). 'Dogs'' is plural possessive (more than one dog own something).

How do you show possession with a plural that does not end in 's', like 'children'?

Add an apostrophe and an 's': 'the children's game'.

Write the possessive form of 'men'.

men's (as in 'the men's room')

Write the possessive form of 'women'.

women's (as in 'the women's team')

Write the possessive form of 'people'.

people's (as in 'the people's choice')

Which of these is correct: 'hers' or 'her's'?

hers – possessive pronouns like hers, theirs, ours never take an apostrophe.

Which of these is correct: 'theirs' or 'their's'?

theirs – no apostrophe needed.

Which of these is correct: 'ours' or 'our's'?

ours – no apostrophe needed.

Fix the mistake: 'The cats toys are on the floor.'

The cats' toys are on the floor. (Add an apostrophe after 'cats' to show the toys belong to more than one cat.)

Fix the mistake: 'The childs book is on the table.'

The child's book is on the table. (Add an apostrophe and 's' to show one child owns the book.)

Fix the mistake: 'Its a sunny day.'

It's a sunny day. (Use 'it's' for 'it is'.)

Fix the mistake: 'The boys are playing.' (No possession) Should there be an apostrophe?

No. 'Boys' is just a plural, not possessive. No apostrophe needed.

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