Lesson 410 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

As a rule, use the "of" phrase to show possession by (or connection with) inanimate objects. Example: the edge of the grass [not the lawn's edge]

Instructions: Choose the correct form for each of the following sentences.

1. Will you get me the (horse's bridle, bridle of the horse).

2. The (jar's top, top of the jar) was broken.

3. We found the wrecked car at the (road's end, end of the road).

4. (My uncle's friend, The friend of my uncle's) will be here tomorrow.

5. All the (car's tires, tires of the car) were flat.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Will you get me the horse's bridle. (bridle of the horse). (Either would be correct)

2. The top of the jar was broken.

3. We found the wrecked car at the end of the road.

4. My uncle's friend (The friend of my uncle's) will be here tomorrow. (Either would be correct)

5. All the tires of the car were flat.

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Lesson 409 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use the apostrophe with expressions of time, space, and amount. Example: He bought a dollar's worth of ice cream.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. You are to be here in two hours time.

2. Can you spare a moments time to help me?

3. That store sells a quarters worth of candy for a dime.

4. The child had three pennies worth of candy in his sack.

5. To finish this job will take four days work.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. You are to be here in two hours' time.

2. Can you spare a moment's time to help me?

3. That store sells a quarter's worth of candy for a dime.

4. The child had three pennies' worth of candy in his sack.

5. To finish this job will take four days' work.

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Lesson 408 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use no apostrophe in personal, relative, or interrogative pronoun possessives. (Words like its, hers, his, ours, yours, theirs, and whose) Example: This book must be yours. Whose is it?

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. This book must be someones.

2. Everyones voice will be heard but yours.

3. Whose idea was it to stay longer?

4. Somebodys wallet is on the ground. Is it hers?

5. I found anothers concept whose time had come similar to yours.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. This book must be someone's.

2. Everyone's voice will be heard but yours.

3. Whose idea was it to stay longer?

4. Somebody's wallet is on the ground. Is it hers?

5. I found another's concept whose time had come similar to yours.

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Lesson 407 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

If the indefinite pronoun is followed by "else", then that word takes the apostrophe. Example: Somebody else's lock is on my locker.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. Someone else effort caused the needed result.

2. We should always be aware of somebody else pain.

3. Everyone else coat has been hung up.

4. Does anyone else need mean anything to you?

5. No one else houses were damaged by the storm.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Someone else's effort caused the needed result.

2. We should always be aware of somebody else's pain.

3. Everyone else's coat has been hung up.

4. Does anyone else's need mean anything to you?

5. No one else's houses were damaged by the storm.

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Lesson 406 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Indefinite pronouns show the possessive by adding 's. Example: one's idea

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that do not point out specifically. They point out generally. They include such words as another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, both, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, many, neither, nobody, none, no one, one, other, others, some, somebody, and someone.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. Anyone guess is as good as mine.

2. Someone stupidity is going to hurt everyone chances for success.

3. I think everybody views should be heard.

4. No one vote should be left out.

5. Is this anybody book?

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Anyone's guess is as good as mine.

2. Someone's stupidity is going to hurt everyone's chances for success.

3. I think everybody's views should be heard.

4. No one's vote should be left out.

5. Is this anybody's book?

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Quiz for Lessons 401 - 405 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and/or "s" to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. The men and boys boots were all mixed together. (separate ownership)

2. Tess mother lives next door to us.

3. The dog growl scared the baby in the neighbor yard.

4. Both Mark and Stephanie hair is red. (separate ownership)

5. Mathew and Sarah mother came to the performance. (joint ownership)

6. The babies and the children fun ended with the parents return. (joint ownership)

7. The men hoods covered their faces.

8. The coop was covered with several chickens feathers.

9. I could hardly hear the puppy bark.

10. The wolves howls came sharply to the deer ears.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The men's and boys' boots were all mixed together. (separate ownership)

2. Tess's mother lives next door to us.

3. The dog's growl scared the baby in the neighbor's yard.

4. Both Mark's and Stephanie's hair is red. (separate ownership)

5. Mathew and Sarah's mother came to the performance. (joint ownership)

6. The babies and the children's fun ended with the parents' return. (joint ownership)

7. The men's hoods covered their faces.

8. The coop was covered with several chickens' feathers.

9. I could hardly hear the puppy's bark.

10. The wolves' howls came sharply to the deer's ears.

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Lesson 405 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. Use an apostrophe with each name to show separate ownership. Example: Becky's and Pam's dolls were lost.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and/or "s" to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. Alaina and Eric sleds were both well used.

2. The children and infants clothing were in different parts of the store.

3. The hounds and the fox tracks went the same direction.

4. The bee and the butterfly lives are totally different.

5. Both men and women hats are sold in this store.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Alaina's and Eric's sleds were both well used.

2. The children's and infants' clothing were in different parts of the store.

3. The hounds' and the fox's tracks went the same direction. (hound's is also possible)

4. The bee's and the butterfly's lives are totally different.

5. Both men's and women's hats are sold in this store.

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Lesson 404 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. Use the apostrophe with the last name only for joint ownership. Example: Carl and Helen's cat was stuck up the tree.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and/or "s" to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. Smith and Johnson store sells almost everything possible.

2. Jim and Jeff apartment was really dirty.

3. We can borrow Gene and Fred boat for tomorrow.

4. The cat and mouse game ended abruptly.

5. The buyer and salesman discussion brought the buyer a new car.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Smith and Johnson's store sells almost everything possible.

2. Jim and Jeff's apartment was really dirty.

3. We can borrow Gene and Fred's boat for tomorrow.

4. The cat and mouse's game ended abruptly.

5. The buyer and salesman's discussion brought the buyer a new car.

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Lesson 403 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A plural noun that does end in "s" forms the possessive adding just '. Write the noun; change no letters; drop no letters; and then simply add '. This rule is always the same for each plural noun that does end in "s."

(To be sure you need a possessive and not just a plural, say the word followed by "what." Example: I saw those girls. "Girls" what? Nothing. "Girls" is a plural. I saw those girls' gloves. "Girls" what? "Gloves" so "girls" is a possessive.)

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. All the pupils seats were taken.

2. Mud had covered all of the girls dresses.

3. The lawyers fees came to a million dollars.

4. The Allens house burned to the ground last night.

5. The sailors parents were very worried by the news.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. All the pupils' seats were taken.

2. Mud had covered all of the girls' dresses.

3. The lawyers' fees came to a million dollars.

4. The Allens' house burned to the ground last night.

5. The sailors' parents were very worried by the news.

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Lesson 402 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A plural noun that does not end in "s" forms the possessive adding 's just like the singular noun. Write the noun; change no letters; drop no letters; and then simply add 's. This rule is always the same for each plural noun that does not end in "s."

Example: men - men's

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. These women hats are sold in this store.

2. The children party was a great success.

3. The mice tracks were everywhere in the dust.

4. We followed the two deer tracks in the snow.

5. The geese flight was smooth and graceful.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. These women's hats are sold in this store.

2. The children's party was a great success.

3. The mice's tracks were everywhere in the dust.

4. We followed the two deer's tracks in the snow.

5. The geese's flight was smooth and graceful.

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Lesson 401 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession with nouns. A singular noun forms the possessive adding 's. Write the noun; change no letters; drop no letters; and then simply add 's. This rule is always the same for each singular noun. Examples: baby - baby's; cow - cow's; Mr. Bass - Mr. Bass's

(Some authorities feel that only an apostrophe is needed when the noun ends in "s." That works okay for written material, but if you say it, you must say the extra "s" sound; therefore, I feel that the "s" is necessary in written material also.)

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes and "s" ('s) to make the possessives in the following sentences.

1. The boy bike is in the back yard.

2. James car was in the accident yesterday.

3. Mr. Jones talk was the best yet.

4. What happened to that horse leg?

5. That woman umbrella is blowing away in the wind.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The boy's bike is in the back yard.

2. James's car was in the accident yesterday.

3. Mr. Jones's talk was the best yet.

4. What happened to that horse's leg?

5. That woman's umbrella is blowing away in the wind.

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Quiz for Lessons 396 - 400 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Italics/Underlining

Material that is italicized in print or by computer is underlined in typewritten or hand written work.

Instructions: Italicize those words which need italics in these sentences.

1. I want to see the motion picture It's a Wonderful Life again.

2. There are many i's in Mississippi.

3. Have you ever read the New York Times or the Chicago Daily News?

4. I just finished reading Ivanhoe.

5. I thought The Phantom of the Opera was superb.

6. In your oral report you used too many well-a's.

7. You may use %'s to indicate percents in your report.

8. The Reader's Digest is found in many homes.

9. I am very tired of your nagging!

10. He is always au fait.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. I want to see the motion picture It's a Wonderful Life again.

2. There are many i's in Mississippi.

3. Have you ever read the New York Times or the Chicago Daily News?

4. I just finished reading Ivanhoe.

5. I thought The Phantom of the Opera was superb.

6. In your oral report you used too many well-a's.

7. You may use %'s to indicate percents in your report.

8. The Reader's Digest is found in many homes.

9. I am very tired of your nagging!

10. He is always au fait.

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Lesson 400 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Italics/Underlining

Material that is italicized in print or by computer is underlined in typewritten or hand written work.

Italicize titles of long musical works and motion pictures; of ships, aircraft and trains.

Instructions: Italicize those words which need italics in these sentences.

1. How many times have you seen Gone with the Wind?

2. Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance is scheduled for next year.

3. The Heber Creeper is an old style train that stills runs.

4. Trax is a commuter rail that runs in Salt Lake City.

5. His plane is called the Silly Goose.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. How many times have you seen Gone with the Wind?

2. Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance is scheduled for next year.

3. The Heber Creeper is an old style train that stills runs.

4. Trax is a commuter rail that runs in Salt Lake City.

5. His plane is called the Silly Goose.

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Lesson 399 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Italics/Underlining

Material that is italicized in print or by computer is underlined in typewritten or hand written work.

Italicize titles of books; of long plays and long poems; of periodicals, newspapers and magazines.

Instructions: Italicize those words which need italics in these sentences.

1. At the doctor's office I read from two magazines, Time and Newsweek.

2. I take two daily newspapers, the Daily Herald and the Deseret News.

3. I love Dickens's story of the French Revolution A Tale of Two Cities.

4. When in San Francisco, I saw the famous play Les Miserables.

5. Have you read the long poem The Idylls of the King?

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. At the doctor's office I read from two magazines, Time and Newsweek.

2. I take two daily newspapers, the Daily Herald and the Deseret News.

3. I love Dickens's story of the French Revolution A Tale of Two Cities.

4. When in San Francisco, I saw the famous play Les Miserables.

5. Have you read the long poem The Idylls of the King?

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