Use apostrophes to show possession: the dog’s leash, the students’ books
Use apostrophes in contractions: don’t, it’s, you’re, we’ve
Use apostrophes to show omitted letters or numbers: rock ’n’ roll, class of ’24
Use apostrophes with singular nouns by adding ’s: the teacher’s desk
Use apostrophes with plural nouns ending in s by adding only ’: the girls’ team
Use apostrophes with plural nouns not ending in s by adding ’s: the children’s toys
Use apostrophes in possessive pronouns only when needed for contractions, not possession: it’s, who’s, but not its, whose
Use apostrophes in names or titles only when the form requires it: O’Connor, d’Artagnan
Do not use apostrophes to make regular plurals: apples, DVDs, 1990s
Do not use apostrophes in possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
Use apostrophes carefully with compound nouns and joint possession: my sister-in-law’s car, Tom and Jerry’s house
Use apostrophes for singular indefinite pronouns: someone’s jacket, everybody’s choice