Dear Val,
There is SUCH a good, simple way to remember apostrophes and their use. The 's stands for a shortening of HIS, therefore is ALWAYS describing possession and NEVER a plural! So originally it would be Malcolm his donkey and then became Malcolm's donkey as a shortcut.
Just my ha'pennorth (apostrophe standing in for half)......
Love
Sally
Val says it drives Malc to distraction, he has decided I should never use one at all as he thinks that would be less annoying. Is everyone else sitting at home with steam coming out of their ears over apostrophes? I write all these interesting posts and the only one I get replies to is, you guessed it - apostrophes.
I despair.
Oh! yes and another
Hi Val
There are exceptions to Sally's rule: its is possessive - the cat chased its tail, for example; or that cake is yours.
Doreen (member of The Society for the Protection of the Apostrophe)
Hi Val
Doreen is absolutely right
Malc
Val says
grr! grrr! grrrr!grrrrr! grrrrrrrr!
Malc apostrophises: O! Grammar
Sally says again
Sorry Val!
But it IS a simple rule.
Yes I thought about mentioning the exception its..but wanted to get the main principle home first! The reason for the exception is that it's exists to denote it is....but Val, that is the ONLY exception! It is NEVER used as a plural !!!! OR A VERB!!!!!
Yours very calmly,
Sally
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