One of the most common writing mistakes is the misuse of apostrophes when showing ownership. This
mistake often appears on signs, labels, and even in everyday writing. A little attention to detail can help
you get it right every time, so let’s dive into the basics of apostrophe usage.
How to determine if a word needs an apostrophe
To ensure you’re using apostrophes correctly, there’s a simple trick you can use: rephrase the phrase into
a possessive form. Here’s how:
1. Take the word that’s confusing you.
2. Move the word after it to form a phrase showing possession.
3. If the phrase makes sense, then you need an apostrophe. If it doesn’t, no apostrophe is required.
Let’s look at an example:
Example: My employers attitude has greatly improved.
Check: The attitude belonging to my employer. (Makes sense!)
Corrected: My employer’s attitude has greatly improved.
Is it men’s restroom or mens restroom?
Let’s put this method to work. Consider the following:
Check: The restroom belonging to the men. (Makes sense!)
Since “men” is already plural, the apostrophe goes at the end: Men’s Restroom.
Key Tip: Whenever a word is plural and you are showing ownership, the apostrophe is placed after the "s" (e.g., teachers' lounge, students' projects). However, for plural nouns that do not take an "s", add 's to show possession (e.g., children's books, people's opinions).
Additional apostrophe examples
Here are two more examples to help with your understanding:
When promoting a weekly prime rib special, don’t let the apostrophe sneak in where it doesn’t belong!
The correct sign should read Prime Rib Sundays, emphasizing that it’s a recurring event rather than
something that belongs to a single Sunday.
An apostrophe is only needed when showing possession, such as Sunday’s weather (the weather
belonging to a specific Sunday) or the restaurant’s Sunday special (the special belonging to the
restaurant). Since "Prime Rib Sundays" is just describing an ongoing promotion happening every Sunday,
no apostrophe is needed.
A sign that reads Vehicles Towed at Owners Expense misses the mark because it lacks the necessary
apostrophe to indicate possession. By adding the apostrophe in Owner’s Expense, you clearly show that
the expense belongs to the owner.
Without an apostrophe at all, Owners Expense reads as if "Owners" is simply a descriptive noun rather
than showing ownership, making the meaning unclear. Proper punctuation ensures the message is direct
and grammatically correct.
Apostrophes made easy
By remembering to test your phrases and checking whether possession makes sense, you’ll avoid the
common pitfalls of apostrophe misuse. Whether it’s Men’s Restroom or Vehicles Towed at Owner’s
Expense, your writing will be clear, accurate, and professional. Take the time to check your apostrophes,
and you’ll see the difference it makes.
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