In this post, we walk you through the 3 simple apostrophe rules tested on the ACT/SAT. So to form the correct possessive form, we'll take the singular noun dog and add apostrophe s to get dog's. Is it a contraction? Short, helpful video on ACT grammar by top ACT prep instructor. The full context tells us more about Jones, an individual who became a strong advocate of a particular movement. For parallelism, be sure that all of the items you give in a list in a sentence are the same … (A) that their working(B) that there working(C) that they working(D) that they're working. The archaeologists are so intrigued by the new discovery that their working far into the night. In the next section, we’ll discuss how to apply these 3 apostrophe rules to SAT Writing & Language and ACT English punctuation questions. Context tells us that movement is the “owner” of advocates. Our correct answer is B. Use an apostrophe correctly in possessive words and contractions. An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that is used for two main purposes: to show possession, or to show contractions where letters have been left out of a word. Mrs. Chang's house. So (C) is the correct answer. We can immediately cross off answers A and D, as these both have apostrophes in them. Use the apostrophe to show possession. You can apply this 4-step strategy easily to the practice questions included in our free Apostrophes Worksheet. Apostrophe Rules Exercise Write the correct form of the words in the boxes below. If the noun is plural, just attach an apostrophe. We also use apostrophes as a way of showing ownership or possession. But now it gets tricky: you have two possessive choices left, one singular and one plural. If possession, identify who/what is owning who/what & apply apostrophe rules. Ok, ready to try some practice problems? The other use for apostrophes is to show where letters have been left out of a contraction. Some of our answer choices have apostrophes associated with the plural noun advocates, but advocates in this context does not “own” anything. An error occurred trying to load this video. Keep all lists in the same format: noun, noun noun; -ING, -ING, -ING; verb, verb, … It's a possession: we're talking about a bed that belongs to the dog. Our free Apostrophe Rules worksheet has everything you need to solidify the apostrophe rules and 4-step strategy discussed in this post. Essay graders will be checking for effective use of English conventions in your response, so proper grammar can help you achieve a higher essay score. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to see on either test: When you do see an apostrophe question on ACT English or SAT Writing & Language, you’ll largely have to worry about possession rules. The boys' dog is a dog that belongs to several boys. How Long is the School Day in Homeschool Programs? What about singular nouns that end in “s,” including proper nouns like Chris? 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That leaves you with only one choice: it's is a possessive. Find the Apostrophe mistakes and correct them If you see its, it’s, and/or both of these in your answer choices, read carefully! We can now eliminate answer choice J. This may seem tricky, but close analysis of the answer choices and underlined portion indicate that we’re dealing with possession. If you picked (C), you got it! A recap of the apostrophe rules and 4-step strategy discussed in this post, Guided examples of apostrophes questions from official practice tests, 10 FREE test-like practice questions with detailed answers/explanations, PrepMaven’s Apostrophe Rules Worksheet with FREE Practice Questions, Margot’s thesis project –> the owner is “Margot” and the possession is the “project”, The children’s book section –> the owner is “children” and the possession is “book”, The students’ questions –> the owners are “students” and the possession is “questions”, The Jones’ yard –> the owners are “the Jones” and the possession is “yard”, Identify if you’re dealing with a case of contraction or possession, If possession, identify who/what is owning who/what & apply apostrophe rules, If contraction, eliminate rule-breakers and plug in your final choice. (A) the dogs bed(B) the dog's bed(C) the bed of the dog(D) the bed, the dogs' one. Note: As a general rule, if the possessive noun is an inanimate object (not living, no causal agency) then no apostrophe is needed. There should be only one of that particular noun. Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal The rules for using apostrophes with names are basically the same as those for all other nouns. While the above rules work for when a single person owns something, it doesn’t work when there are many people. To show ownership with a singular noun, simply add an ‘s to the end of that noun. Apostrophes Apostrophes have four main roles: creating possessive nouns (both singular and plural), creating possessive indefinite pronouns, representing omitted letters in a word, and forming plurals of letters and numbers. Also remember the tricky words: with it's/its, your/you're, and their/they're/there, you'll need to pay very close attention to which form is which. Remember that an apostrophe is a punctuation mark indicating either possession or a place where letters have been left out of a word. Possession. The apostrophe has been partnered up with the letter s in a few different roles over the last 500 years, and as with many relationships the goalposts have shifted a little over time. Most students are fairly comfortable using contractions because they appear frequently... Apostrophes and the SAT/ACT. Here you go. The word “major” also appears in different forms, so we might have to apply additional grammar rules (a common case on both ACT English and SAT Writing & Language). So, the dog's collar, Mary's book, et cetera. You're referring to just one gecko, which is singular. In fact, this is very typical of ACT English and SAT Writing & Language questions. Now it’s time to take a deep dive into the 3 apostrophe rules you’ll need to know for ACT English and SAT Writing & Language. Step 4 shows when you need to break this rule. They can be useful for shortening and simplifying speech, although many high school English teachers encourage their students to avoid using contractions in academic writing. In the answer choices, you can see that it's the word students that's being changed. proofread your work yourself and apply the rules for using apostrophes correctly in your writing. So you'd take students, which is already plural, and then just stick the apostrophe on at the end. Misplaced apostrophes can indicate that one person owns something that really belongs to more than one, or they can turn a plural noun into a possessive. The general rule regarding modifiers is that they … Three of the answer choices contain the possessive noun movement’s and two contain possessive forms of the noun advocates. Parallel Structure 1. Once you have completed this lesson you should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. All rights reserved. Many common nouns end in the letter s ( lens, cactus, bus, etc.). Technically, choice (C) also shows singular possession, but this is unnecessarily wordy, so (B) is correct. (singular, indicates the tires of one car) Plural possessives are formed by just adding an apostrophe to the end of the plural form. Apostrophes serve two purposes—possession and contraction. No, right? It’s also possible to show ownership by using possessive pronouns like their, my, or her. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. Not every plural noun ends in “s,” however, and it’s possible to have a singular noun that ends in “s.” We discuss what to do in these scenarios below. Apostrophe Rules. If you want test-like practice with apostrophe rules, we’ve got you covered. So don't, won't, shouldn't, for example. Here you go: Using adhesive pads on the tips of it's fingers, the gecko can climb up walls, windows, and even tiles with ease. Use an apostrophe + S ('s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something. © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. If not, can you spot the way to correct it? If you want to name the boys specifically, you'd list out the names and make only the last one possessive: That is Joe, Sam, Bill, and Gary's dog. For example, there is only one Dmitri, one cat, one Earth, etc., in the sample phrases above. , which includes guided examples, free practice questions, and explanations. The Women's Society meets every Thursday at the high school. So how is the word being used here? An apostrophe is used to form possessives of nouns, to show the omission of letters in contractions, and to form plurals of letters and numbers with "s." Add an apostrophe and an "s" to form the possessive of singular nouns, plural nouns, or indefinite pronouns that do not end in "s". My friend's house is at the end of the street. | 23 These are the fingers that belong to the gecko. The answer's coming up, so pause the video if you need more time to think. During the exam, the teacher walked around the room, checking all the students desks for signs of cheating. Exxaammppllee:: That is the door of the car. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the letter s. Examples: a woman's hat. If you are showing singular possession, you will put the apostrophe before the s. Singular possession, in everyday English means, one thing possesses it. From the word all, we also know that students has to be plural. If the apostrophe appears before the letter s then it may denote that the possessive case is singular, i.e. Someone's bicycle is leaning against the building. Use an apostrophe after the "s" at the end of a plural noun to show possession. Recall the difference between its and it's; your and you're; and their, they're, and there. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree. has everything you need to solidify the apostrophe rules and 4-step strategy discussed in this post. Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. To form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end in s or es, add an apostrophe plus s to the … Sociology 110: Cultural Studies & Diversity in the U.S. CPA Subtest IV - Regulation (REG): Study Guide & Practice. Contractions are compressions of two words, as in the following examples: Why do we use contractions? Modifiers Must Be Next to What They're Modifying. The unit includes a copy of the rules plus three activity pages (with answer key) in which students use the rule. Want even more practice? Now you just have to pick the possessive form from the answer choices. The 3 Apostrophe Rules You Need to Know for the SAT/ACT, You only need to know 3 apostrophe rules to succeed on ACT English or, In this post, we walk you through the 3 simple apostrophe rules tested on the ACT/SAT. You can cross off (A) and (B) right away, since it's is the contraction for it is, and its' is not even a word. That’s because students is simply a plural noun and does not “own” anything. The 13 ACT and SAT Grammar Rules You Need to Know. In this lesson, we walked through some common apostrophe problems on the ACT English test. And the second major use of an apostrophe is to show possession. The phrase majoring in philosophy is describing these particular students. ACT English Practice: Colons, Semicolons & Periods, ACT English Practice: Verb Tense and Subject-Verb Agreement, ACT English Practice: Misplaced Modifiers, ACT English Practice: Parentheses and Dashes, Combining Dependent & Independent Clauses, Strategy for Usage/Mechanics Questions on the ACT English, ACT English Practice: Paragraph Organization, Appositives & Appositive Phrases: Definition & Examples, What is a Sentence Fragment? How can you tell that you’re dealing with an apostrophe question? They vary a little bit, depending on what type of noun you are making into a possessive. Take a look at the underlined part: the dogs bed. There are exceptions to this rule, however. 2. flashcard sets, {{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | The correct answer is (B). Nope; there's no letter missing. The answer choices indicate that we might have to apply our knowledge of apostrophe rules, as two of the answers include apostrophes. This may sound like an obvious rule to some students, but both the SAT and ACT are very likely to test your knowledge of the difference between “its” and “it’s.”, The difference is that “its” is the possessive form of the pronoun “it,” while “it’s” is a contraction that really means “it is.”. For example, let's take the case of a boy and his dog. The apostrophe has two main distinct uses in English. We also give you access to our Apostrophe Rules Worksheet, which includes guided examples, free practice questions, and explanations. Movement is a singular noun, so we will need to add an ‘s to the end to show proper possession: movement’s. Here's your chance to show your mastery of their, they're, and there. From the examples, we know that we are discussing more than one book, sidewalk, teacher, mountain, and computer. These tests are only interested in a finite list of grammar concepts. Singular and plural words indicating ownership Rule 1: For singular nouns, indefinite pronouns (e.g. the boss's wife. So it isn't a contraction. Here are a few examples of possession in action: Notice how the possession always appears after the owner in these examples. Apostrophes serve as visual indicators of who or what is the “owner” and who or what is the “possession.”. Ta-dah: it's possessive! Check out these examples of singular noun possession: How can you tell if a noun is singular? What happens if you want to show possession with one of these nouns? 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Only use an apostrophe if you mean ‘it is’ or ‘it has’. So are you referring to a singular or a plural thing? So the first major use of an apostrophe is to do a contraction, so a contraction is an abbreviation of a couple different words. Here’s what that would look like: We know it feels awkward, but that’s the rule! So is this the right form to use for possession? Remember: every point matters. Is this a contraction for it is? Apostrophes are hated, ignored, erased and misuses throughout the world: The Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names doesn’t like the apostrophes, as reported by Wall Street Journal. Apostrophe questions appear relatively infrequently on both tests, although they are still worth preparing for. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. Putting the apostrophe before the s is the easiest of the apostrophe rules. So you want the singular possessive, referring to just one thing - and that's its. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} In this lesson, you'll get some practice working through ACT English questions with apostrophes, including plurals, possessives, plural possessives, and those tricky little words like their/they're/there. In grammar, there are five types of subjects: First-person singular (I) Bonus: PrepMaven’s Apostrophe Rules Worksheet with FREE Practice Questions. We also give you access to. Here are the rules of thumb: For most singular nouns, add apostrophe+s: The dog’s leash The writer’s desk The planet’s atmosphere. Knowing subject-verb agreement rules, which refers to whether or not the subject matches the corresponding verb, are some of the most useful grammar rules to know for the ACT. Can you pick the correct plural possessive form from the answer choices? For example, let's take the case of a … Add an apostrophe to form the possessive of plural nouns ending in "s". ACT English: Grammar Rules and Practice Tests. Is there a possession or a contraction going on here? You can download this worksheet below now. You will likely see contractions and/or apostrophes in the answer choices! 2 The dictionary owned by the grammar whiz = The grammar whiz’s dictionary The shoes of the children = The children’s shoes NOUNS WITH A FINAL S Nouns that do end in s require more thought. I. APOSTROPHES Apostrophes make nouns possessive For singular nouns, always add apostrophe + -s The boy's ball = The ball belonging to the boy The dress's buttons = The buttons on the dress For plural nouns, always add -s + apostrophe (or -es + apostrophe if the singular version ends in -s) The boys' ball = The ball belonging to the boys Amy's ballet class, Lisa's... 2. You still follow the rule of adding an ‘s to these nouns. Complete SAT/ACT Grammar Rules 3 ________________________________________________________________________ B. Apostrophes with Pronouns No apostrophe = possessive It’s vs. Its It’s = it is Its = possessive of it; followed by a noun Its’ & its’s = do not exist Incorrect: London is a city known for it’s (it is) many tourist attractions. Parallel Structure. Would the sentence make sense if it read …adhesive pads on the tips of it is fingers…? The only exception to this is with proper nouns that have historical and/or biblical associations, like “Moses” or “Jesus.” In these instances, all you need to do is add an apostrophe to the end: However, don’t worry about this exception–it won’t be tested on the ACT or the SAT. in our comprehensive Guide to Pronouns on the ACT and SAT post. As we mentioned earlier, students don’t need to memorize every single English grammar rule to feel confident on ACT English or SAT Writing & Language.. 3. The parents' bedroom, the Smiths'... 3. Yet your fluency in apostrophe usage can get you that much closer to a competitive score on these sections. Doesn't is an example of this: the words does and not were smushed together, and the letter o got left out, so now there's an apostrophe marking the spot where the o used to be. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Comma Usage: Avoid Confusion in Clauses & Contrasting Sentence Parts, Apostrophes: Possession with Singular, Plural and Multiple Nouns, Punctuation: Using Colons, Semicolons & Periods, Using Hyphens, Brackets, Ellipses & Quotation Marks, Biological and Biomedical Yes: these are the desks that belong to the students, so students has to be possessive. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? (A) it's fingers(B) its' fingers(C) its fingers(D) their fingers. Take special care with it’s and its. What’s more, apostrophe questions are relatively rare on both tests. We had a dog and a cat when I was growing up, and part of my weekly chore rotation was to wash the dogs bed. Parallelism is tested on the ACT English test in the context of phrases or items in … Single-digit numbers are usually spelled out, but when they aren’t, you are just as likely to see 2s and … - Definition & Examples, High School Chemistry: Homework Help Resource, Prentice Hall Biology: Online Textbook Help, High School Algebra I: Homework Help Resource, High School Physical Science: Homework Help Resource, High School Physical Science: Tutoring Solution, Glencoe Earth Science: Online Textbook Help, Holt McDougal Algebra 2: Online Textbook Help, High School Physics: Homework Help Resource, Create an account to start this course today. For most names, you add an apostrophe and an “s” to make the possessive form. Examples These words are almost certain to be on the test, so it's worth your while to figure them out. When you encounter an apostrophes question on ACT English or SAT Writing & Language, follow these strategic steps: We’ll apply these steps to 2 sample apostrophe questions from an ACT and SAT official practice test. Elizabeth has been involved with tutoring since high school and has a B.A. This video teaches commonly tested grammar, punctuation and sentence structure skills. Remember that an apostrophe is a punctuation mark indicating either possession or a place where letters have been left out of a word. Apostrophe Rules for Possessives 1. You can test this by reading it back into the sentence without the contraction: … they are working far into the night makes perfect sense, so (D) is the correct answer. Let's quickly review: If you picked they're, you got it right. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons Rule 1b. To show possession, always add an 's unless the noun is plural and ends in s, in which case add only the apostrophe. All you need to do is treat it like a singular noun: add an ‘s to the end. Context tells us that this sentence describes philosophy majors and their professional pursuits. Possessive pronouns do not need an apostrophe." Yes, you can have a plural noun that doesn’t end in “s”! To make the plural possessive, you take the plural form boys and add an apostrophe, since the boys's dog would sound silly. The horses… It’s been a day … This is likely to be the easiest possession rule for students to remember. This grammar & punctuation unit for grade 5 is based on the rules "Possessive nouns need an apostrophe. To show contractions, where letters have been left out of a word. You worked with singular and plural forms and also practiced using trickier forms, like its/it's and there/they're/their. You only need to know 3 apostrophe rules to succeed on ACT English or SAT Writing & Language. In this sentence, we need to use an apostrophe to show possession: it's the bed that belongs to the dog. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. 1. If you’re showing ownership with a plural noun that ends in “s,” all you need to do is add an apostrophe to the end of that noun. Create your account, 45 chapters | Our Strategy for Approaching Apostrophe Questions, Guide to Pronouns on the ACT and SAT post, Rule #2: Add ‘s to singular nouns showing ownership, Rule #3: Add a single apostrophe to the end of plural nouns ending in “s”, You can apply this 4-step strategy easily to the practice questions included in, Apostrophe Rules: Our 4-Step Strategy for Applying Them. The general rule is that the possessive of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and “ s”, whether the singular noun ends in “ s” or not. So you know it can't be a contraction. Oooh, its and it's - remember the difference? Can you spot what that it's is doing in this sentence? Over 1800 ACT english grammar questions to help you with your ACT test prep. If we want to show that the dog belongs to the boy, we'd say, The boy's dog. For most plural nouns, add only an apostrophe : Parallelism. (A) checking all the students desks(B) checking all the student's desks(C) checking all the students' desks(D) checking all the students, the desks. With contractions, apostrophes serve as a visual indicator of the “bridge” between the two words. Remember that apostrophes are used for two main purposes: You'll also want to brush up on the tricky ones: its/it's, their/there/they're, and your/you're. We discuss possessive pronouns (and other kinds of pronouns!) If there are more than one errors, separate corrected words with a space and a hyphen '-' as in the examples. That is the car door. Identify if you’re dealing with a case of contraction or possession. The apostrophes in the answer choices indicate that we will most likely have to apply our knowledge of apostrophe rules to this question. We recommend reading “it’s” as “it is” to help with your elimination process on these types of questions. anybody, someone, nobody) and words already ending in s, place the apostrophe before the s when indicating ownership. The leashes for the dogs = The dogs’ leashes The grades of the students = The students’ grades The wages earned by the workers = The workers’ wages

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