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Revelle
Humanities Grammar Handbook
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| 6 Sentence
fragments 7 Run-on sentences 8 Verb agreement 13 Passive voice 15 ESL 17 Misplaced modifiers 18 Pronoun reference 20a Comparisons 21 Parallel construction 23 Commas 23d Sexist language 25/6 Semicolons & colons 29 Ellipsis 31 Brackets 35 Apostrophes 36 Abbreviations 37 Underlining 39 Numbers 41b Slang 41e Jargon 41f Pretentious language 42c Idioms 42e Clichés 43a Fluff |
35 Apostrophes
Apostrophes are mainly
used in contractions and to show possession.
Possession by a singular noun: Penelope's suitors showed no sense of the rules of hospitality.
Possession by a plural noun: The suitors' lack of hospitality caused great annoyance.
Contractions: Generally, avoid contractions in formal papers.
Note: Its is the possessive form of it. It's is a contraction for it is. Whose is the possessive form of who. Who's is a contraction for who is.
See page 209 of your Brief English Handbook for other examples.