Where should apostrophes not be used?

When NOT to Use an Apostrophe The following are some of the most frequent errors: Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns whose, ours, yours, his, hers, its, or theirs. Do not use an apostrophe in nouns that are plural but not possessive, such as CDs, 1000s, or 1960s. Do not use an apostrophe in verbs.

Can you use apostrophe in a formal essay?

In formal essays, the apostrophe is not avoided when it shows possession, such as “narrator’s discourse”. However, conjunctions, which also use apostrophes, should be avoided in formal writing.

What are the 3 rules for apostrophes?

Apostrophes have three main uses: 1. To indicate possession 2. To indicate an omission of letters or numbers 3. To separate the s from plural letters/numbers and abbreviations followed by periods.

Can you use possessive contractions in formal writing?

Avoid using contractions in formal writing. A contraction is a combination of two words as one, such as “don’t,” “can’t,” and “isn’t.” The use of contractions is inappropriate in formal legal writing. Replace them with the two-word version of the contraction.

Are apostrophes formal?

Apostrophes are frequently used in everyday writing, but they are rarely used in scientific and medical writing. This rarity helps to maintain a formal tone, because apostrophes are generally considered informal. But the apostrophe, when used carefully, can add simplicity and clarity to your writing.

Should an apostrophe be used for plural?

As a general rule, we never use an apostrophe in writing plural forms. (A plural form is one that denotes more than one of something.) Do not write things like *Jones’s, *Steve’s, *Julie’s or *Eleanor Cross’s if you are merely talking about more than one person or thing with that name.

Is apostrophe allowed in research title?

Apostrophes that indicate the ownership of an object, or the relationship between two objects, such as the girl’s ball or the father’s son, also commonly occur in standard written English, but are rarely needed in scientific writing. All of these phrases are acceptable in a scientific manuscript or thesis.

What is the rule for apostrophe S?

Use an apostrophe after the “s” (s’) at the end of a plural noun to show possession. It is not necessary to add another “s” to the end of a possessive plural noun. 3. If a plural noun doesn’t end in “s,” add an apostrophe + “s” to create the possessive form.

What should you not use in a formal writing?

Formal Writing Voice

• Do not use first-person pronouns (“I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” “us,” etc.).
• Avoid addressing readers as “you.”
• Avoid the use of contractions.
• Avoid colloquialism and slang expressions.
• Avoid nonstandard diction.
• Avoid abbreviated versions of words.
• Avoid the overuse of short and simple sentences.

When should contractions be used in academic writing?

It’s acceptable to use contractions for informal writing, such as a newspaper article, but less so in formal writing, such as an essay for a college course. Traditionally, use of contractions has been strictly forbidden in academic writing. You might remember a teacher at some point who told you never to use them.

When should an apostrophe never be used?

Normally you should not use the apostrophe to form the plural of a noun. Such a mistake is called “the grocer’s apostrophe,” because of its common occurrence on signs and advertising. However, an exception is made for the plurals of numbers, letters, symbols, and words referred to as words: Dot your i ‘s and cross your t ‘s

How do you know when to not put an apostrophe?

Any time you have an it’s or an its in your writing, double-check the sentence. If you can say “it is” in its place, then you DO need the apostrophe. If its is showing something has possession or ownership of something, then you do NOT need an apostrophe and using its is correct.

What are the rules for using an apostrophe?

The rules about forming possessives probably cause the most apostrophe confusion.

Regular nouns are nouns that form their plurals by adding either the letter s or es (guy,guys; letter,letters; actress,actresses; etc.).

With a singular compound noun has to show possession,it does with an apostrophe+s at the end of the word.

When should you not use a comma?

Do not use a comma just because your sentence is long. This is a common mistake; sometimes, people will see a long sentence and put in commas to “break it up” even if the sentence is grammatical without them. The length of your sentence has nothing to do with whether or not it needs commas.