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Apostrophes: Shortened Words and Ownership

Distinguish missing letters, ownership, and ordinary plurals.

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An apostrophe can mark missing letters: do not becomes don't. For one owner, usually add 's; for a plural owner already ending in s, add only an apostrophe. Irregular plurals such as children take 's. Do not add an apostrophe just to make an ordinary plural.

Worked example

'The girl's bag' belongs to one girl. 'The girls' bags' belong to more than one girl. 'Three bags' is only a plural, so it has no apostrophe.

We are becomes we're. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter a.
we are becomes we're. The apostrophe marks the missing a.
1. Which shortened form means do not?
2. One student owns a desk. Choose the correct phrase.
3. Several students share these desks. Choose the plural possessive.
4. Several children own these books. Choose the correct phrase.
5. This sentence just counts pencils. Choose the correct plural.