[Gllug] Monthly GLLUG grammar report (Seriously OT now!)

[Jonathan Harker]

On Tuesday 26 Nov 2002 10:35 am, Dylan wrote:
> > Your welcome             =   You're welcome
>
> The baneful apostrophe. Still, if we were taught what they were for rather
> than when to use them it might be easier!

OH, and my favourite:

it's = it is
its  = belonging to it

I have never really understood why it is people find apostrophes so difficult. 
There are only three things to remember: possession (genitive case), 
contraction and NO PLURALS!

1. Possession: Put a 's on the end, unless it is a plural (many things) ending 
in s, in which case just put a ' on the end. Except pronouns (a).

Jon's room belongs to Jon.
The players' room belongs to all the players. (plural ending in s)
The men's room belongs to all the men (but not to the mens!)
The princess's room belongs to the princess (fine, singular ending in s)
The princesses' room belongs to all the princesses. (plural ending in s)

(a)
its room belongs to it, their/them, his/him, hers/her, your/you, my/me, 
our/us, etc. (there's also the side issue of them/their/theirs or me/my/mine, 
whereis there is only Jon/Jon's/Jon's - subj. & obj. genitive are the same)

2. Contraction: used as a replacement for letters: don't, won't, can't, it's, 
etc.

3. NO PLURALS! Five bananas, not five banana's

Luv Jon

-- 
Jonathan Harker
www.jonathanharker.co.uk

Macho does not prove mucho.
		-- Zsa Zsa Gabor


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