Ashley Campbell's Writer's Log
Apostrophes again
(the fiddly bits)
Last year, I wrote about apostrophe abuse and the basic rules of using apostrophes for contraction (didn’t, I’ve, you’ll) and possession (the boys’ toys, the cat’s whiskers).
But how do you use apostrophes with numbers? And when do you use it’s and its? Should you ever use an apostrophe to show a plural?
If you haven’t got to grips with the basics of avoiding apostrophe abuse, revise that first. Otherwise, read on.
Apostrophes with numbers
Apostrophes work with numbers exactly as they work with words — to show possession or contraction.
Apostrophes are NOT necessary to show plurals of numbers. Just as you would write someone was “at sixes and sevens” if you spelled numbers out, so you would write someone was “at 6s and 7s” if you used numerals instead. Just as you would write “the eighties and nineties” if your style was to use words, you would write “the 80s and the 90s” (but see contraction below) if your style was to use numerals.
When showing possession — the apostrophe comes after the “owner” of the next word:
- 1980’s fashion refers to fashion of the year 1980 (which comes before the apostrophe)
- 1980s’ fashion refers to fashion of the decade of the 1980s.
When it comes to contraction (the 80s instead of the 1980s etc) the jury is out. Some people say you should write the ’80s, some say it’s not necessary. I come down on the not necessary side — but if you want to use an apostrophe this way, it’s not wrong. Just be consistent.
It’s or its?
Confession: I was a working subeditor before I finally understood this one, but once someone explained it to me properly, it was crystal clear.
It’s natural to think there should be an apostrophe in the possessive “its” (the cat sat on its mat) because, well, apostrophes show possession, don’t they? Yes — but not when the word is already possessive.
His, hers, theirs are possessive words. “The boy sat on his chair, but his sister said it was hers. Their mother said it was theirs.”
Like his, hers and theirs, its is already possessive — it doesn’t need an apostrophe. Just remember: his, hers, theirs, ours, yours, its — the last word follows the same pattern as the first five and the only meaning of “it’s” is “it is”.
Apostrophes for plurals
Very occasionally, apostrophes are used for plurals, when readers would otherwise be confused. “Do’s and don’ts” is the most common example of this — purely because people are likely to read “dos” as “doss” and get confused. I believe this apostrophe will eventually disappear.
These occasions are few and far between, and there’s usually a lot of discussion among editors and subeditors before a decision to use or not use an apostrophe is made. So unless you write or edit for a living, don't lose any sleep over this one.
Tell yourself apostrophes are not used for plurals, and leave people like me to sort out when, very occasionally, they might be.
© Ashley Campbell, 2010 |
