Grammar Tips. Apostrophe.

The word "it" with apostrophe "s" is the contraction of "it is." "Its" without apostrophe is the possessive form of it.

INCORRECT: Its not my time to shine.

CORRECT: It’s not my time to shine.

INCORRECT: It definitely has it’s merits.

CORRECT: It definitely has its merits.

Use an apostrophe to indicate the last two digits of a year.

INCORRECT: He was born in the late 80s.

CORRECT: He was born in the late ‘80s.

Don’t use an apostrophe when referring to a person’s age.

INCORRECT: He is in his 80’s.

Correct: He is in his 80s.

Do not use apostrophes to form a plural noun.

CORRECT: We have been living there since the 1980s.

CORRECT: She had two PhDs.

Here’s the exception to the rule. Use an apostrophe when certain abbreviations, letters or words are used as nouns.

He got five A’s and three B’s.

Be sure to cross the t’s and dot the i’s.

thanks-you’s

do’s and don’ts

The possessive of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and an "s" whether the singular noun ends in s or not.

INCORRECT: Paul is one of Jesus’ disciples.

CORRECT: Paul is one of Jesus’s disciples.