One-of-a-Kind Apostrophe Test
Purpose: This exercise is designed as a fun class "test" in the use of apostrophes. Use it if you're finding many such errors in student writing.
Suggested Time: 50 minute class period.
Description: In groups, or individually, students read the following paragraphs in search of apostrophe errors. Go over the key with the class. A good exercise to pair with the McGraw Hill Handbook.
Procedure: Print copies of the following story to distribute to your class. If you like, this can be a take-home assignment to be paired with the McGraw Hill Handbook. Students can work individually or in groups.
1101’S ONE-OF-A-KIND APOSTROPHE TEST HANDOUT:
“Well,” said the Captains wife “I knew it might come to this. Hes been hinting about NASAs plans for some time now; its scary but if he has to go on this 5 year survey of the Gindari system, well, he has to go . . . Im a military wife . . . and the militarys always come first with Glen.” she finished, somewhat sadly. Then she looked imploringly at the General. “Please General Henderson, youve got to tell me! Do the researchers plans include trying to contact any possible inhabitants of that star system? I mean, what if theyre not very friendly?”
“Oh now Mrs. Lovelace,” chuckled the General “Youre letting your imaginations worst fears prey on your mind! The possibilities of other beings contacting us are minuscule at best! But remember, your closest friends concerns must not tempt you into telling them the truth about your husbands mission! NASAs plans are too sensitive to publicly discuss just yet; weve been waiting for the right time . . . it could come at a moments notice . . .” and though he finished speaking, the Generals lips continued to move as he stared dreamily off into space.
All of a sudden, Mrs. Lovelace screamed “YOWWWEEEEEZ!” The cats tail had brushed against her fetchingly exposed calves, and in her reverie its unexpected presence had startled her. The General looked at her with some concern and not a little admiration. “Ive heard some screams in my time Mrs. Lovelace, but thats a 10 if I ever heard one!”
Mrs. Lovelace smirked back at him. “Do you often rate women as 10s, General?” she asked coyly. Suddenly, the General was reminded of his old Sunday school; the churchs school room had displayed Moses ten commandments, and for some reason “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife” popped into his mind just then.
Mrs. Lovelace, her hands maintaining a constant, expressive summary of their own, continued: “Glens been planning for some time now to be gone . . . at times Ive almost felt as if hes already left; our Friday night get-togethers havent happened for some time . . . ,” and then both of her hands constant gesturing suddenly ceased as she clasped the generals arm and said in her best bedroom voice “Hell be gone a long time, wont he General? And admit it, youre a part of the project too. When he does return, the projects next subject will you be, isnt that right? Shame to lose yet another sexy man to space . . .”
The Generals mouth felt very dry as he admitted “Youre right . . . Lois . . . upon Glens return, Ill be shipping out for my stretch at . . .”
“Dont,” Loiss hands seemed to say as she lay one gently against the Generals lips, stroking his bald head with the other. The Generals mind became a blank of non-verbals: yowzas and hubba-hubbas filled his head.
“But Lois, its not right!” he managed to say, just before Loiss eyes rolled back into her head, her scalp split open, her skins seams quickly detached from each other (dropping to the floor) and her four claws talons raked through the Generals stomach, eviscerating him in one fell swoop.
“Good,” thought the Scanlon Didtrac from the Gindari system as it stepped through the entrails mess and re-gathered its ‘woman-suit’, once more situating itself into Loiss appearance. “These busy-body earthlings never seem to know when theyre not welcome! Now lets see about one last Fridays get-together with Glen.”
1101’S ONE-OF-A-KIND APOSTROPHE TEST ANSWER KEY
“Well,” said the Captain’s wife “I knew it might come to this. He's been
the wife of the captain
hinting about NASA's plans for some time now; it’s scary but if he has to go
the plans of NASA
on this 5 year survey of the Gindari system, well, he has to go . . . I’m a military wife . . . and the military's always come first with Glen.” she finished, somewhat sadly. Then she looked imploringly at the General. “Please General Henderson, you've got to tell me! Do the researchers’ plans include trying to contact any possible inhabitants of that star
the plans of the researchers (there are many researchers/ i.e., plural noun)
system? I mean, what they’re not very friendly?”
“Oh now Mrs. Henderson,” chuckled the General “You’re letting your
imagination's worst fears prey on your mind! The possibilities of other beings
the fears of your imagination
contacting us are minuscule at best! But remember, your closest friends’concerns must
the concerns of your friends (plural).
not tempt you into telling them the truth about your husband's mission!NASA's plans are too sensitive to publicly discuss just yet; we’ve been waiting for the right time . . . it could come at a moment’s notice . . .” and though he finished speaking, the General’s lips
the notice of a moment
continued to move as he stared dreamily off into space.
Mrs. Henderson thought to herself, “Why, that's just like Harry's new, weird
habit! The General must be involved in this thing . . . YOWWWEEEEEZ!” she
screamed aloud. The cat's tail had brushed her, and in her reverie its unexpected presence startled her. The General looked at her with some concern.
“I've heard some screams in my time Mrs. Henderson, but that’s a 10 if I ever heard one!”
Mrs. Henderson smirked back at him. “Do you often rate women as 10's,
Use an apostrophe to pluralize numbers mentioned as numbers
General?” she asked coyly. Suddenly, the General was reminded of his old Sunday
school; the church's school room had displayed Moses' ten commandments, and for some
the school room of the church (singular noun, add ‘ + s).
reason “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife” popped into his mind just then.
Mrs. Henderson, both of her hands maintaining a constant, expressive summary of
their own, continued: “Glen's been planning for some time now to be gone . . . at times I've almost felt as if he's already left; our Friday night get-togethers haven't happened for some time . . . ,” and then her hands’ constant gesturing suddenly ceased as she
there are 2 hands and THEY are doing something: the gestures of her hands (plural).
clasped the general's arm and said in her best bedroom voice “He'll be gone a long time, won't he General? And admit it, you're a part of the project too. When he does return, the project's next subject will be you, isn't that right? Shame to lose another sexy man to space . . .
The General's mouth felt very dry as he admitted “You're right . . . Lois
. . .upon Glen's return, I'll be shipping out for my stretch at . . .”
“Don't,” Lois's hands seemed to say as she lay one gently against the General's
Lois ENDS in s, so a singular noun is possessing something, add ‘ + s
lips and softly stroked his bald head with the other.
The General's mind became a blank of non-verbals: yowza’s and hubba-hubba’s filled his head.
Use apostrophe + s to pluralize words mentioned AS words
“But Lois, it's not right!” he managed to say, just before Lois's eyes rolled
back into her head, her scalp split open, her skin’s seams quickly detached from each
the seams of her skin (i.e., what’s possessed is plural, but the possessor is singular).
other, dropping to the floor, and her four claws’ talons raked through the General's
she has more than one claw, and they possess those nasty talons, so apostrophe ONLY.
stomach, eviscerating him in one fell sweep.
“Good.” thought the Scanlon Didtrac from the Gindari system as it stepped
through the entrails’ mess and re-gathered its ‘woman-suit’, once more situating itself
entrails is a plural noun: they are possessing the mess, so s + apostrophe only.
into Lois's appearance. “These busy-body earthlings never seem to know when they're not welcome! Now let's see about one last Friday's get-together with Glen.”