English 101: Wrong use of apostrophe s ('s)

I see this in many a sales copy, and yes even with the so-called gurus. Notice that I didn't place an apostrophe in "gurus" in the previous sentence. It is wrong English to use an apostrophe (') when denoting the plural form.

When writing a plural word, you don't place an apostrophe before the s. For example, this is wrong: I love all the guru's. This is right: I love all the gurus.

An apostrophe before the s denotes ownership, as in: I read the guru's ebook. (In other words: I read the ebook of the guru.)

It's a big turn off to see grammar and spelling mistakes in a sales copy. If the owner of the web site doesn't take care in composing or checking his copy, he's just probably out to get your money and won't care about after-sales support.

 

Unfortunately, many people don't understand how to use the apostrophe. I've even seen shops where there's an unwarranted apostrophe in the name.

 

An apostrophe isn't always for ownership.

For example, it's, don't, isn't, would've, I'll - they represent contractions and it is very important not to confuse these with plurals or ownership.

it's --- it is
don't --- do not
isn't --- is not
would've --- would have
I'll --- I will

These are just some examples of the many tens or hundreds of contractions that an be used in the English language.

 

Yes, that's something I've seen people err quite often.

I've also seen people mistake than for then, you're/you are for your, etc.

 

Apostrophes make it easy to spot a good writer from a bad one. Foreigners who claim to be native speakers might be able to hold a conversation, but that doesn't mean they'll be able to write a coherent paragraph (or a number of paragraph's )

 

Well said! Poor spelling is another sign of a fly-by-night operation. Yesterday, for example, I saw an article writer offering to sell "articeles". Another thing content writers should look to correct is their use of their, there and they're - these words are not interchangeable.

 

Outsourcing services made me aware that people whose native language is other than English confuse grammar rules with their own.

As in example, while in English CDs is the correct expression denoting more than one CD, in other languages CD's is the correct plural form

 

I hate braindead retards who don't understand the difference between "its" and "it's".

 

Apostrophe after the s denotes ownership, not before.

gurus - pural
guru's - contraction of the word "guru" and the word "is"
gurus' - defines ownership

Your example "I read the guru's ebook" is the same as saying "I read in the guru is ebook."

Proper grammar would have been "I read in the gurus' book"

 

That's "stylistic", Mystique, not "right and wrong".

From my own experience, some UK publishers instruct all editors to insert apostrophes in abbreviations of that kind, simply because they're abbreviations. Many national newspapers, for example, will refer to "MP's" rather than to "MPs", as you perhaps would yourself. This is a matter of "house style".

 

I have a pretty good handle on the English language and consider myself a good writer, but every time I use its I have to remember:

"Oh, if you want to show possession it's just I-T-S, but if it's supposed to be a contraction than it's I-T-apostrophe-S. Scalawag"

Someone should make a ridiculous one line jingle for every grammatical rule. The world would read a whole lot better if it happened.

 

Indeed. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

Apostrophe after the s denotes ownership of more than one. Your example, gurus' ebook, would mean the ebook of many gurus. Apostrophe s can mean both ownership and a contraction depending on how it is used. For example, The guru's going to town is a contraction, while The guru's ebook is ownership. However, The gurus going to town is plural. Read tajo's post.

 

She's frustrated with all of the cats' bullcrap.

 

That is inaccurate; "I read the guru's ebook" means you read the ebook belonging to the guru. "I read the guru's ebook" is actually proper grammar, in Canada, US, and UK.

"Gurus'" means there are multiple gurus to which the book belongs to.

Note:

gurus - plural
guru's - contraction of the word "guru" and word "is", or defines ownership
gurus' - defines ownership of more than one person

Hope this helps!

 

Get to the point why don't you? People who can't spell government and environment do my head in but I don't hate them. On the contrary, I enjoy pointing out their mistakes and making them feel stupid. I believe mine is a more healthy attitude...

 

Necessary has one collar but two sleeves

There is a rat in separate

 

This is misguided information.

 

only apostrophes? Many spelling mistakes, I wonder why they don't get a spelling checker, since they are free

 

MS Word FTW