I must see this mistake made at least once a week, but three times in a day still young has pushed me over the edge.
The rule, very simply:
- if singular, put an apostrophe before the s;
- if plural, put an apostrophe after the s.
Here are some examples:
I’m going to Jackson’s home. This indicates that I am going to the home that belongs to a single individual named Jackson.
I’ve been invited to watch the Super Bowl at the Jacksons ‘ home. From this you may correctly surmise that the home belongs to a family with the surname Jackson.
If I send a missive entitled “Bolen’s Newsletter,” then it is a newsletter from either Kelli or from me, but it is not from both of us. If you are invited to come visit the Bolen’s house, you may correctly conclude that we have a pre-nuptial agreement that put the house in my (or her) name and excluded the other spouse from ownership. [You ‘ll never get such an invitation.] If tell you that I am going to visit my parent’s house, you will guess that either my parents are divorced or one is no longer living.
This is not an unimportant rule, because it helps to accurately communicate meaning. You may do it incorrectly and I may figure out that you didn’t mean what you wrote (because I know that you or your parents aren’t divorced), but if you simply can’t get it right, I’d prefer that rather than putting the apostrophe in the wrong place, you do ‘nt use one.
Ok. I apologize. :)
In all humility I really do appreciate this post because I’ve been wondering about the correct method for quite awhile. I’ve even argued with my spell-check because I didn’t understand why it was red marking me.
And seeing as I write a lot (personally, not professionally) I and those unfortunate souls that have to read what I wrote thank you.
My brother’s house is next door.
My parent’s house is far away.
My cousins’ homes are closer.
I want to do it right. So thank you.
Christmas cards are a big violator of this rule.
“…but not it is not from both of us.”
If NOT it is NOT from both of you, then it is definitely from both of you, in which case it should be the Bolens’ Newsletter or the Bolen Newsletter, no? Maybe what you really meant to say was that not it is not from not both of you. I hope that you’re not going to prove me to be not correct.
Oops! Fixed.
Funny, I thought I was the only one who cared about proper use of apostrophes. :)
Oh Todd! This is just too funny . . . I guess if you would write a post about articles or commas then I wouldn’t laugh.
Hmmm, I seem to remember this being a pet peeve (I just had to look that up, so as to not “peeve” you with my spelling mistake) of yours while I was at IBEX. ;) Seems that somethings don’t change. By the way, I read an electronic sign a month, or so, ago that has a missing apostrophe. It annoyed me (too); so, I wrote it on my white board to see if my 5th/6th graders could find the error. They could, and laughed. Thanks, NDOT, for proving that grammar & punctuation are important.