A contraction sign (apostrophe) replaces missing letters in contractions and marks possession, not plurals.
You see the tiny mark in don’t, I’m, and we’ll. You also see it in Jordan’s phone. That small curl does two jobs, and mixing them up causes most errors.
This page clears that up with plain rules and a fast way to check your own sentences before you hit publish.
Common uses at a glance
| What you’re writing | Where the apostrophe goes | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Contraction | In place of missing letters | do not → don’t |
| Singular possession | After the owner | the dog’s bowl |
| Plural possession ending in s | After the s | the players’ bags |
| Plural possession not ending in s | ’s after the plural form | children’s shoes |
| Joint ownership | Only on the last name | Sam and Lee’s car |
| Separate ownership | On each owner | Sam’s and Lee’s cars |
| Time, distance, money as a “holder” | ’s on the unit | a day’s pay |
| Its vs. it’s | No apostrophe for ownership | its screen / it’s bright |
What a contraction sign means in writing
In everyday English, a contraction squeezes two words into one. The apostrophe shows the letters that got dropped. That’s why cannot turns into can’t and they are turns into they’re. You’re marking missing letters.
People call this mark the contraction sign when they’re talking about contractions, and the same symbol is called an apostrophe in grammar and typography. Either way, the placement rule stays the same: put it where the missing letters would have been.
How to place the apostrophe in a contraction
Start with the two full words. Say them out loud. Then remove the letters you won’t write. Drop the apostrophe right where the letters vanished.
- we are → we’re (a is gone)
- she will → she’ll (wi is gone)
- I have → I’ve (ha is gone)
- let us → let’s (u is gone)
If you can’t point to missing letters, you may be dealing with possession instead.
When contractions help and when they don’t
Contractions fit friendly writing: blog posts, emails, product pages, and social captions. They can sound out of place in some formal documents, legal text, or academic writing that demands a stiff tone.
On the web, contractions often read more natural on a phone screen. The trick is consistency. A page that flips between do not and don’t with no pattern can feel sloppy.
Contraction sign rules for possession
Apostrophes also show ownership. The fast test: if you can replace the phrase with of and it still makes sense, you’re in possession territory.
the lid of the jar matches the jar’s lid. That’s possession. No missing letters are involved.
Singular nouns: add ’s
Most singular nouns take ’s, even when the noun ends in s.
- the teacher’s notes
- Chris’s jacket
- the glass’s edge
Style guides differ on names ending in s. Many write Chris’s; some prefer Chris’. Pick one style and stick with it.
Plural nouns ending in s: add only ’
When the plural already ends with s, you don’t add another s. Put the apostrophe after the s.
- the cats’ toys
- three weeks’ notice
- the coaches’ meeting
Plural nouns not ending in s: add ’s
Some plurals don’t end in s. Those get ’s.
- the children’s room
- the men’s restroom
- the geese’s path (rare, but correct)
Joint vs. separate ownership
This one trips people up because the apostrophe moves depending on meaning.
- One shared thing: Mia and Nora’s playlist
- Two separate things: Mia’s and Nora’s playlists
Read the noun at the end. If it’s singular, you’re pointing to one item. If it’s plural, you’re pointing to more than one.
Hard cases that cause most apostrophe errors
Most apostrophe mistakes fall into a short list. Fix these and your writing cleans up fast.
Its and it’s
It’s is always a contraction of it is or it has. Its shows ownership.
- It’s raining again. (it is)
- It’s been a long week. (it has)
- The laptop lost its charge. (ownership)
Quick check: if you can swap in it is, keep the apostrophe. If not, drop it.
Plural words: apostrophes don’t make plurals
Plurals usually need only s or es. Apostrophes are for possession or missing letters, so writing apple’s when you mean apples is a classic error.
A few niche cases exist, like pluralizing a single letter for clarity (“mind your p’s and q’s”). For normal nouns, skip the apostrophe.
Pronouns: no apostrophe in possessives
Possessive pronouns already signal ownership, so they don’t take an apostrophe: yours, hers, ours, theirs, whose. The only tricky pair is its/it’s, since it looks like other possessives but follows the pronoun rule. If you see an apostrophe in your’s or their’s, it’s almost always a typo.
Store names ending in s follow the same rule: the store’s hours, not the stores hours posted.
Years and abbreviations
An apostrophe can replace missing digits in a year: 1999 becomes ’99. It’s a contraction, just with numbers. Keep the apostrophe at the front to show the missing “19.”
Decades are plain plurals: the 1990s, the ’90s. No apostrophe between the 0 and the s.
Possession with names ending in s
If your site doesn’t follow a house style yet, use the rule that stays readable: add ’s for singular possession, then read it out loud.
- James’s coffee
- Lois’s bike
- Texas’s borders (less common, still seen)
If a name looks crowded with s’s, many editors allow the shorter form: James’ coffee. The meaning is the same. The goal is consistency, not perfection.
Trusted rules you can cite and follow
If you want a quick external reference for editors or clients, the Purdue OWL apostrophe guide lays out the core uses with clear examples. For dictionary-backed notes on contractions and usage, Cambridge Dictionary’s apostrophe page is also handy.
These links help when a reader challenges a rule or you’re setting a style note for guest writers.
Contraction Sign on phones and desktops
If you paste text from different apps, you may mix straight (‘) and curly (’) apostrophes. Both display fine, but mixing them can look odd.
Phone and tablet
On iOS and Android, the apostrophe sits on the main punctuation key. Your CMS may convert straight marks into curly marks on publish.
Desktop and WordPress editor
Typing the apostrophe key gives a straight mark. WordPress may convert it based on theme and editor settings. Google Docs often pastes curly marks.
That doesn’t change grammar. It only affects appearance and consistency.
Clean checks you can run before publishing
You don’t need a fancy editor to catch apostrophe issues. A simple pass with a few targeted checks works well.
- Search for it’s. Confirm each one means it is or it has.
- Search for s’. Make sure it follows a plural noun that already ends in s.
- Search for ’s. Confirm each one is either a contraction or a singular possessive.
- Scan headings. Apostrophe mistakes in headings get noticed fast.
- Read tricky lines out loud. Your ear catches missing words and odd ownership faster than your eyes.
If you’re editing older posts, fix apostrophes in batches. Keep a small log of what you changed so you don’t re-check the same pages later.
Second table: quick decisions for real sentences
This table is meant to be a fast desk reference. Pick the pattern that matches your sentence, then copy the structure.
| If your sentence has… | Use this form | Try this sample |
|---|---|---|
| Two words shortened into one | apostrophe for missing letters | you are → you’re |
| A single owner | owner + ’s | the writer’s draft |
| More than one owner ending in s | owners + ’ | the writers’ drafts |
| An irregular plural owner | plural + ’s | the children’s books |
| A shared item between two people | name and name + ’s | Ana and Jo’s table |
| Two separate items | name’s and name’s + plural item | Ana’s and Jo’s tables |
| Decade as a plural | number + s | the 1980s |
| Shortened year | ’ + last two digits | ’07 |
Common myths that keep showing up
Myth: every word ending in s needs an apostrophe
Words ending in s are often just plurals: cars, prices, photos. An apostrophe only shows possession or a contraction. If you’re listing more than one thing, you almost never need it.
Myth: contractions are always “wrong”
Contractions aren’t errors. They’re a style choice. On the web, they often read more like spoken English. In a contract or formal report, you may choose the full words.
Myth: curly apostrophes are smarter
Curly apostrophes are a typography choice. They don’t fix grammar. A wrong curly apostrophe is still wrong.
Mini practice to lock it in
Try these quick edits. Cover the answers with your hand, then check your guess.
- the dogs tails → the dogs’ tails
- its a nice day → it’s a nice day
- the 1970’s music → the 1970s music
- James car is outside → James’s car is outside
If you got stuck, go back to the two tests: missing letters for contractions, “of” phrasing for possession.
Key takeaways you can keep beside your editor
- The contraction sign marks missing letters in shortened words.
- Apostrophes also mark possession, with ’s or just ’ depending on the owner.
- Plural nouns almost never take an apostrophe.
- It’s means it is or it has; its shows ownership.
- Consistency beats edge-case debates on names ending in s.
Use these rules and the two quick checks, and you’ll stop second-guessing apostrophes. Your readers won’t get distracted by tiny punctuation errors.