Power Charge Your Professionalism: Use ApostrophesCorrectly
Many writers throw up their hands in defeat when it comes toapostrophes, feeling that they can’t possibly remember the rules.You don’t have to! You can use Reference Chapter A or a grammarhandbook (in print or online) to help you. But, in truth, the rulesare not that hard to learn. You could probably master them in 30minutes or less.
Using your memory or a guide, choose the correct answer in thefollowing sentences. Then explain why you made the choice you didfor each one.
1.This report has eight entries in (its/it’s/its’) list ofillustrations.
2.All the (figure’s/figures/figures’) titles in this report aremissing the figure number.
3.The report did not identify (whose/who’s) error caused theproblem.
4.All of the upper-level (manager’s/managers/managers’) requested acopy of the report.
5.The reports produced by this research firm are regarded as the(industries/industries’/industry’s) best.
6.In some (people’s/peoples’) opinion, an executive summary shouldalways be in the direct order.
7.The report described (men’s/mens’) shopping habits.
8.The report represented two (week’s/weeks/weeks’) worth ofwork.
Using apostrophes correctly is important because . . .
•Sometimes a misused apostrophe can cause your reader to take amisstep (until he or she figures out that there’s an apostropheerror).
•Incorrectly used apostrophes are distracting and convey a negativeimpression of you as a writer.
