Grammar/Mechanics Checkup 10: Apostrophes
Created at:
Author: Ryan Smith
Apostrophes, parentheses, dashes, and question marks may not seem important in your writing. However, these small details can change the meaning of your message and, if used incorrectly, can confuse your reader. Familiarize yourself with these punctuation marks, and understand how to use them to enhance your writing.
Make the following phrase possessive by choosing the noun with the correct apostrophe placement.
How would you make a singular agent possessive?
- Agents' desk
- Agents desk
- Agent's desk
View Explanation
Add an apostrophe before the s to an ownership word that does not end in an s sound.
How would you make the following phrase possessive if more than one customer is responding?
- Customers' response
- Customers response
- Customer's response
View Explanation
When a noun, singular or plural, ends with a pronounced s, add an apostrophe to form the possessive case. A few singular nouns that end in s are pronounced with an extra syllable when they become possessive. To these words, add 's.
Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
- His being late for meetings upset the team.
- His' being late for meetings upset the team.
- Him being late for meetings upset the team.
View Explanation
Use a possessive pronoun or add apostrophe s to make a noun possessive when it precedes a gerund, a verb form used as a noun.
- Rajiv worked for Dynasty, Inc.
- Rajiv worked for Dynasty, Inc
- Rajiv worked for Dynasty, Inc..
View Explanation
Use one period to end a statement, command, indirect question, or polite request. Never use two periods.
- You work for the new branch, don't you?
- You work for the new branch,? don't you.
- You work for the new branch, don't you.
View Explanation
Use a question mark after statements that end with a tag question.
- Daniel Ortega and Olga Alverez—both hired at the same time—won the top sales representative prizes.
- Two top sales representatives Daniel Ortega and Olga Alverez discussed their winning strategies.
- Two top sales representatives—Daniel Ortega and Olga Alverez discussed their winning strategies.
View Explanation
Use dashes to set off parenthetical elements.
- “If you do well on this job,” said the manager, “I will assign these projects to you in the future.”
- “If you do well on this job,” said the manager, I will assign these projects to you in the future.
- If you do well on this job, said the manager, “I will assign these projects to you in the future.”
View Explanation
Use quotation marks to enclose the exact words of a speaker or writer.
- Would you please send me the confidential folder.
- Would you please send me the confidential folder?
View Explanation
Polite requests often sound like questions. To determine the punctuation, apply the action test. If the request prompts an action, use a period. If it prompts a verbal response, use a question mark. For future reference, to avoid the punctuation dilemma with polite requests, do not phrase the request as a question. Instead, phrase it as a command: Please send me the confidential report. It still sounds polite, and the punctuation problem disappears.
Choose the correct punctuation for this sentence.
I need to know if the finance department will be working on the merger next week.
View Explanation
Use parentheses to set off nonessential sentence elements, such as explanations, directions, questions, or references.
How would you make the following phrase possessive if there is more than one employee?
- Employees' checks
- Employees checks
- Employee's checks
View Explanation
When a singular or plural noun ends with a pronounced s, add an apostrophe to form the possessive case. A few singular nouns that end in s are pronounced with an extra syllable when they become possessive. To these words, add 's.
