Welcome

Apostrophes – and How to use them

This site is dedicated to the Humble Apostrophe … when, where and how to use them.

Some of the topics covered on this website:

Whose or Who’s

Singular nouns and apostrophes with Teena Hughes

I Before E except after C when sounding like EEE

Commas, Colons and Semi-Colons

What is the difference between what and which?

 

 

My name’s Teena Hughes and I really dislike seeing an apostrophe used willy nilly, with wild abandon, as though it’s a clothing accessory rather than an important piece of punctuation, which has been handed down through the ages.

To know how to use this little beauty, all we have to do is THINK before we add it to a word, I know, I know, learning this stuff at school was so painful, but really, what’s worse? Seeing letters signed by the CEO of an organisation/organization which lands on the desk of another CEO, and it has TYPOS and stray apostrophes … shock, horror, how embarrassing!

Proofreaders are extinct! (or so it seems)

The days of the extremely important Proofreader are now a blur in history, unfortunately, and the majority of computer users think that if they click on a Spell Check button in their software, then they don’t need to worry any more.

Why don’t spellcheckers work to save the innocent?

The problem with selecting a Spell Check option is that the computer is …. well, just a computer.

It will offer you suggestions for optional grammar, words and spelling, but if you don’t know which is the right one in the first place, you may find it impossible to choose.

Learn some simple ways to help you through the tricky bits

If you spend a small amount of time reading these few tips on the following pages, and then practice a few times, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time at all!

So read my Humble Apostrophe website, enjoy, and let me know your thoughts and questions. If you see a fantastic misuse of the apostrophe [or other grammar or punctuation], do please let me know – I will happily put it online with your name.

Now … read on! Click these links to get started on apostrophes, or read a fabulous poem about crazy English grammar, or perhaps to check the spelling and use of words like stationery. There’s plenty to keep you interested – just click on any of the menu links to get started, or check out the Site Map.

If you need Proofreading Services, pop over to the Proofreading page for more information.

Pssst! And don’t forget you can use the Search box if you can’t find what you need.

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Ready? Click through the pages to learn about Apostrophes – when, where and how to use them. Have fun!

Teena Hughes