Apostrophes Replace Missing Letters
In informal writing, apostrophes are often used to replace missing letters. This
is to reflect how many speak.
Examples:
 The weather's bad.
(Written in full: The weather is bad. In this example, the apostrophe replaces the letter
i.)
Don't think about it.
(In full: Do not)
What horse c'ant you ride? 
[correct the example]
(The apostrophe is in the wrong place.)
(Should be: isn't)
(In full: is not)
Apostrophe error found in a Christmas cracker
Alan can't deliver on Tuesdays.
(In full: cannot)
If you don't fail now and again, it's a sign you're playing it safe. (Woody Allen)
(In full: do not / it is / you are)
Don't look now, but there's one too many in this room and I think it's you. (Groucho Marx)
(In full: do not / there is / it is)
Blood's not thicker than money. (Groucho Marx)
(In full: blood is)
Sally is'nt able to complete her work.
[correct the example]
(The apostrophe is in the wrong place.)
(Should be: isn't)
(In full: is not)
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DON'T CONFUSE YOU'RE & YOUR
You're is short for 'you are'.
You're a naughty boy.
Your is not short for 'you are'. It is used to show possession.
This is your PC.
This is you're PC.
Your a star.
See lesson You're and Your
DON'T CONFUSE IT'S AND ITS
It's is short for 'it has' or 'it is'. (There are no other uses.)
It's stopped raining, and it's sunny.
Its, on the other hand, is similar to his and her and is used to show possession.
I'm near the whale. I can see its
tail.
This is it's fourth journey.
(its )
Its as easy as falling off a
log.
(it's )
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
(Winston
Churchill)
See the lesson It's and Its
DON'T WRITE SHOULD OF
Should've sounds like 'should of', but it is short for 'should have'. (This is the same for
could've and would've.)
should of
, could of
, would
of
WRITE 'CANNOT' AS ONE WORD
Cannot is one word.
I can not stand in the rain for too long.
A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.
(Oscar Wilde)
Although rare, it is possible to see can and not as two separate words. However, this is never an expansion of
can't.
She can not only sing but dance
too.
(Note: There is a lot of leniency on this ruling. Many like to use can
not over cannot for added emphasis.)
NO APOSTROPHE IN OURS
Words like ours, theirs, yours and hers do not have apostrophes in them.
These books are ours.
You can use our's.
I saw theirs'.
These are called absolute
possessives.
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DON'T INVENT CONTRACTIONS
Words with apostrophes that replace letters are known as contractions. You should only use recognised ones:
g'tar
(replacing the
ui in guitar)
potato's
(replacing the
e in
potatoes)
WRITE THEM OUT IN FULL
In business writing, it is highly unusual to use contractions. You should write all words in their full forms.
Therefore, the delivery date can't be met.
(use
cannot )
It's available for collection on
Tuesday.
(use It is )
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