Apostrophe S

Okay, I’m going to admit it; apostrophe s trips me up daily. Just when I think I’ve got it nailed, I misuse it, and someone QUICKLY calls me on it. So I misuse commas too, but nobody really cares about them; they’ll overlook them but not apostrophes no way!!

I don’t depend on spellcheck but often times I’ll see that squiggly line, fix it to what it recommends, only to have a grammar pro point out I misused the apostrophe S. I’m going to work on just where that comma goes in quotation marks also, but right now I need to work on apostrophe S!

My son said to me last week, “Mom, the apostrophe S shows possession.”

I really need my son to teach me what I learned in grade school? Apparently!

I found this helpful grammar site:  Grammar Book 

Did you know there are THIRTEEN rules of the apostrophe??? Well color me blonde!

I’m going to practice, refresh, if you will:

  

Rule 1

Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed.

My example:

It’s – it is

Doesn’t – does not

Isn’t – is not

Rule 2 

Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession.

This is where my confusion begins.

Their example:

one actress's hat
one child's hat
Ms. Chang's house

My example:

Billy’s hat

Mr. Roper’s hat

NOTE: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second s added in possessive form, it is preferred.

Their example:

Mr. Jones's golf clubs
Texas's weather
Ms. Straus's daughter

Confused! I was taught that we’d add an apostrophe AFTER the S. See rule FIVE.

Ms. Jones’ house

Texas’ weather

But if I read what Grammar Book is saying, I’m wrong.

  
Rule 3
Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied.

Their example:

This was his father's, not his, jacket.

My example:
His father’s home never felt like his own.

Rule 4

To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe.

Examples:
two boys' hats two women's hats
two actresses' hats
two children's hats
Okay, there’s the S’ !!! Are they TRYING to confuse us? Is this legal?!? (denote sarcasm)
One more:

Rule 5

Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name.

Examples:
We visited the Sanchezes in Los Angeles.
The Changs have two cats and a dog.


I have no examples! I need to go off and drink all of this in. I’ll continue tomorrow with the rest of the confusion. Don’t worry, I’m just refreshing what I THOUGHT I already knew!

ENJOY!

Punctuation Skills

Or my lack thereof. Prickly little buggers they are, commas and apostrophes and such!

I need to work on my punctuation skills. How am I going to teach YOU skills if I don’t even know them myself? I guess Schoolhouse Rock wasn’t sinking in as strongly as I thought it was. Yeah I still sing “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly get your adverbs here.” But see that <--- my punctuation stinks in a big way!

Interjections show excitement or emotion,
they're generally SET apart from a sentence by an exclamation point,
or by a comma when the feelings not as strong.

I’ve been called on my lousy punctuation skills to the point of it digging in me and possibly scarring me for life. I’m a writer, I NEED punctuation skills! Reminds me of a facebook post from a Writing page:

“Let’s eat Grandma!”

“Let’s eat, Grandma!”

Do you see how important that comma is? Well gosh-a-rooney! Am I really THAT bad?

I didn’t think I was until it was pointed out many years ago on a Poetry site that I, and I quote, ‘Basterdized punctuation’. I even wrote a poem with the same title since I did feel a little slighted and I was new to this infernal world of spiders. (worldwide web?)

I slaughter punctuation! Not intentionally mind you but I do. I overuse comma’s, misplace apostrophes, and I love the exclamation point! I barely use them now because I feel someone is going to laugh at my lack of skill in using them. So, I’m going to learn! See that?

This was my first page in trying to understand punctuation. Punctuation

Hey what can I say, I clicked the first one that came up.

I see an error and wonder how accurate the site is:

A set of commas is a means of separating items in a list.	The details required are name, date of birth,  address and telephone number.
Sometimes a comma is needed between the last two items to ensure clarity.	The details required are name, date of birth, address and telephone number.

Both the sentences are exactly the same, so what are they telling me? And I wonder why I slaughter punctuation, eh?

Another site I found was helpful, Skills You'll Need , but I’m still weeding my way through to see just where it is I need help the most. You know, it would be so much more helpful if someone pointed out just what I slaughtered instead of chuckling and saying, “Boy you fudged that up. Where did YOU learn grammar?” 

I guess laughing at my ineptness makes them feel that much more intelligent themselves. Another way of me, making people feel good. Glad I could make you smile.

As I work through my grammar skills, I’m also working on my writing. It seems something was lost that I need to rein in and recapture what has tried to get away. I make typos, I’m human, but if I cut up my punctuation to the extent you’re laughing at my ability, by all means, correct me.

Punctuation skills are not my strong point, WRITING is!