Grammar guides can differ on how to use apostrophes but if you follow these rules youll get it right. Not that they are a group of peopleSo the correct method would be The Smiths Now what happens when you have an unusual family name.

Mary Norris S Thoughts On Pesky Possessives The New Yorker

For example the chateauxs imposing walls or Marxs impressive beard.

Apostrophe use with names. With names as with other nouns an apostrophe is used to form a possessive or a contraction. Use apostrophes for possessive nouns When it comes to apostrophes and possessive nouns the rules change depending on the specific type of noun. Some writers and editors add only an apostrophe to all nouns ending in s.

Apostrophe rules also mention that if the family name has ending like x ch sh or z however we need to add es to form the ending. The Smiths cat has gone missing. One Persons Last Name To show possession of one person add -s.

One of the most confusing punctuation rules is when to use an apostrophe to make a name possessive if it ends in S. Names not ending in S are easy. When you write use an apostrophe in one of three ways.

A bureaucratic body the Geographical Names Board decided back in 1966 that no Australian place names should contain apostrophes. When a name ends in S it throws people off. The basic rule is simple enough.

Use Apostrophes for Possession Only. Personal names are a case in point as people tend to have possessions and possessions generally demand apostrophes. As a rule of thumb adding the s to the apostrophe is a good idea.

The Parkers new terrier. Use an apostrophe for plurals of single letters and single-digit numbers. The Browns terrier the Smiths porch the Johnsons SUV the Rodriguezes party the Chans flat-screen TV.

To use apostrophes add an apostrophe followed by an s after the name of a person or place to indicate ownership. You need to use the best formula and stay consistent all the time. Apostrophes in Names Rules You will use apostrophe with s for possessive singular nouns.

Take James for example. The possessive of a plural name is always formed by adding an apostrophe after the final s the Smiths dog the Harrises family home. When it comes to grammar rules for apostrophe after s you should be consistent in writing.

The apostrophe is used to indicate possession not plurality. When to use as well as another s Silass phone. Watch out when using apostrophes with singular or plural last names.

These have an apostrophe before the s. You will use the apostrophe with the letter s in showing possessive form of the singular noun even if the singular noun is ending with the letter s. I think of it like this the apostrophe states they own something.

A possessive form is spelled with s at the end. Put the apostrophe after the last letter the s in this case. Theres still another way probably the most elegant of them all.

Apostrophes and place names In Australia it is quite simple if ungrammatical and plain stupid. Any family name w ith the in front is going to end in s so thats where the apostrophe will always go. Apostrophes with Names Ending in S Common nouns.

An apostrophe is used in a possessive form like Esthers family or Janets cigarettes and this is the use of the apostrophe which causes most of the trouble. The rules for using apostrophes with names are basically the same as those for all other nouns. There are exceptions to the rule of not using an apostrophe for the plural form of a noun.

An apostrophe is the symbol used in English language writing to show the omission of letters in a word show possessionor belongingor to show the plural form of single letters such as ps and qs When are apostrophes used. And some add an apostrophe s to every proper noun be it Hastingss or Joness. When an apostrophe is needed to show the possessive form of a plural family name eg the Smiths the Fords the Bateses the Alverezes the name is treated just like any other plural noun that ends in s For example.

For example you could write Marys lemons In the case of plural ownership add an apostrophe after the s instead. For most names you add an apostrophe and an s to make the possessive form. For names ending in s form the possessive either by simply adding an apostrophe Lucas letters or by adding an apostrophe as well as Extra.

One method common in newspapers and magazines is to add an apostrophe s s to common nouns ending in s but only a stand-alone apostrophe to proper nouns ending in s.