Help with Apostrophes

Video Lesson

Here is a video summarizing the use of apostrophes: The rules for using apostrophes are covered in more detail in the following lesson:

• Using Apostrophes

Apostrophe Placement Game ("Tetris" Game)

Here is an interactive game to help you learn about using apostrophes for possession (e.g., "the dog's bone," "men's attitude") and apostrophes in time expressions (e.g., "two days' notice," "a week's salary").

• Each falling question has a correct apostrophe and a wrong one.
• Click on the correct one to score points and to make the question disappear.
• If you click on the wrong one (or do not click), the question will fall to the bottom.
• The wrongly answered or unanswered questions will start to build up.
• When the screen is full, you're toast.
• Good luck!

(The harder the level, the more points you score per correct answer.)

Tip: If the game is playing slowly, you can use the controls below to remove the background text and image to speed up the game.

Background Image:

on  off

More Specific Help with Using Apostrophes

If you need more specific help regarding apostrophes, you will find your answer in one of these more focused lessons:

• Applying the apostrophe-placement rules
• Putting an apostrophe before S
• Putting an apostrophe after S
• Using an apostrophes after Z
• Using an apostrophe for ownership
• Using an apostrophe for joint ownership
• Using apostrophes in contractions (e.g., isn't, can't)
• Misusing apostrophes
• Using apostrophes in names
• Using apostrophes after abbreviations and acronyms
• using apostrophes with awkward plurals
• Using apostrophes in temporal expressions (e.g., 2 years' insurance, a day's pay)

Apostrophe Exercises

Here are the exercises related to using apostrophes:

Apostrophe Exercise (General Use). This exercise contains 28 dual-choice questions covering the use of apostrophes in contractions (e.g., can't, won’t), in temporal expressions (2 days' pay), and for possession (the dog's dinner, the dogs' dinner).

Apostrophe Exercise (Possession). This exercise contains 18 multiple-choice questions on apostrophes for possession.

Possessive Case Exercise. This exercise contains 18 multiple-choice questions on the possessive case in general.

Apostrophe Exercise (General Use). This exercise contains 18 multiple-choice questions on the general use of apostrophes.

Apostrophe Exercise (Temporal Expressions). This exercise contains 20 multiple-choice questions on the use of apostrophes in temporal expressions (e.g., a day's pay, two years' insurance).