Apostrophe

[Casiopea]

1. The wraith's gun is so weak.
(i.e., The ghost's gun. OK; Possessor: It tells us whose gun.)

2. The wraith gun is so weak.
(i.e., The ghost gun. OK; Adjective: It tells us what kind of gun.)

3. Jack's gun is so weak.
(OK; Possessor: It tells us whose gun. Please note, 'weak' is the wrong adjective. That is, guns are not described as 'weak'.

4. Jack gun is so weak. (For people, you have to use 'apostrophe s' right?)
(Not OK. As you've said, "you have to use 'aspostrophe -s') If, on the other hand, "Jack/jack" refers to a type of gun, then it would function as an adjective, but you'd need to add a determiner/article, like this,

EX: A Jack/jack gun...
EX: The Jack/jack gun...

5. I have a Sony TV.
(OK; Adjective)

6. I have Jack's TV.
(OK; Possessor)

7. I have Sony's TV.
(OK: Possessor. Note that, Sony, a brand name, is also the name of a company (i.e., The TV belongs to Sony Corporation/to Jack/to Mary).

8. Jack's Catch-phase: Practice makes perfect.
(OK; Jack's words. That is, the words 'Practice makes perfect' form a catch-phrase; that catch-phrase belongs to Jack.)

9. Viewsonic (Viewsonic is a monitor brand) Catch-phase: See the difference.
If Viewsonic is the name of a company, then "Viewsonic's catch-phrase" would be correct; If viewsonic is type of brand, the as an adjective it describes what kind of catch-phrase: it's a viewsonic catch-phrase.

10. Jack catch-phase: Practice makes perfect. (Is this incorrect? b/c for people you have to use 'Jack's'?)
Jack's catch-phrase. (OK)
Jack catch-phrase. (Not OK if you want it to mean, possessor, but OK if you want it to mean, an idiotic/worthless catch-phrase). That is, 'jack' has more than one meaning.

10. Viewsonic's Catch-phase: See the difference.
(OK; Possessor. "Viewsonic" is a proper noun; it's the name of a brand or company.)

All the best,

 

[jack]

Thanks.

I don't understand these. I don't understand what's the difference between these two? Why doesn't Sony use the second one?

1. Sony's Catch-phase: See the difference.
2. Sony's Catch-phase: See the differences.

 

[Casiopea]

Thanks.

I don't understand these. I don't understand what's the difference between these two? Why doesn't Sony use the second one?

1. Sony's Catch-phase: See the difference.
2. Sony's Catch-phase: See the differences.

Only Sony knows. :wink:

Note that, Sony's product, specifically its picture format is different (adjective) from its competitors' product. You can See the Difference (noun).

 

[jack]

What does the apostrophe -s mean?

1. Honda's and Toyota's make good cars.

 

[Casiopea]

What does the apostrophe -s mean?

1. Honda's and Toyota's make good cars.

When a writer is not 100% sure if s/he should add -es or -s to pluralize a word that ends in a vowel, s/he will often add aphostrophe -s, like this,

tomatoes :?: or tomatos :?: => tomato's

The apostrophe represents an omitted vowel, like this,

is not => isn't ( the symbol ' represents the vowel o)

1. Honda's and Toyoda's make/are good cars.

The person who wrote sentence 1. is using aphostrophe -s to express plural number:

2. Hondas and Toyodas are good cars.

All the best,

 

[jack]

Thanks, this is very useful:

The apostrophe represents an omitted vowel, like this, 

is not => isn't ( the symbol ' represents the vowel o)

 

[Casiopea]

You're welcome.

 

[jack]

Are these correct? If not, why? What do these mean?

1. Touching or grabbing people's body is nto allowed in this game.
2. Touching or grabbing any part of another people's body is not allowed in this game.
3. Touching or grabbing any part of another person's body is not allowed in this game.
4. Touching or grabbing any part of another persons' body is not allowed in this game.

 

[Casiopea]

1.Touching or grabbing people's body is not
allowed in this game.
2. Touching or grabbing any part of another people's body is not allowed in this game.
3. Touching or grabbing any part of another person's body is not allowed in this game.
4. Touching or grabbing any part of another persons' body is not allowed in this game.[/quote]

Why do you think 3. is OK and the rest Not OK?

All the best,

 

[Francois]

3 actually.

 

[Casiopea]

I love you!

 

[Francois]

Eh, at least you know I read your posts! ;-)

FRC

 

[jack]

Why do you think 3. is OK and the rest Not OK?

Thanks.
A person only has one body. I'm just making sure, incase there are any exceptions.

What do these mean?
1. I am just making sure, incase there is any exception.
2. I am just making sure, incase there are any exceptions.
I don't get it? Do they mean the same? Which one do I use? Does it matter?

3. Throughout the 90's... (What does the apostrophe mean? Does it mean it ommited '1990s'?)

 

[Casiopea]

Eh, at least you know I read your posts! ;-)

FRC

:lol: :shock:

 

[Casiopea]

1. I am just making sure, in case there is any (one particular) exception to the rule/example/case/ and so on. (Singular exception, One exception)

2. I am just making sure, in case there are any exceptions (at all) to the rule/examaple/case and so on. (Plural exceptions, One or More exceptions)

3. Throughout the 90's...
(What does the apostrophe mean? Does it mean it ommited '1990s'?)

The apostrophe is used incorrectly. It should read:

3. Throughout the '90s...

The apostrophe before '90 represents the missing numbers 19 (i.e., throughout the 1990s...). The final -s on 90s expresses plural number (i.e., all the years from 1990 all the way up to 1999.)

Use an "s" without an apostrophe after the year to indicate spans of decades or centuries, a plural. Use an apostrophe before the year for class years or abbreviations to indicate the "20" is omitted. Any reference to the decades or classes from the 1900s needs to use the "19."

Right: The university was formed in the 1960s.
Right: She belonged to the Class of 1924.
Right: Shannon will graduate with the Class of '03.
Wrong: The '60s were famous for hippies, flower power and the peace movement.
Right: Blair Underwood, A1988, was the guest speaker at commencement 2000.
Wrong: Blair Underwood, A'88, spoke to the graduating class of 2000.

An apostrophe after the year is needed for possessives.

Right: The presidential election was 1980's biggest news story.

Source: Click Here.

 

[jack]

The '60s were famous for hippies, flower power and the peace movement.

What is wrong with the one above?

Do not use the word "on" before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion.

Right: The meeting will be held Monday.
Right: He will be inaugurated Feb. 22.
Right: The program ends in December

1. The meeting will be held on Monday. (Why 'on' isn't there?

 

[Casiopea]

The '60s were famous for hippies, flower power and the peace movement.

What is wrong with the one above?

Actually, it's OK, but according to the source, '60s should be written out as 1960s because it refers to the last decade. We are no longer in the 1900s; we're in the 2000s. :wink: So, '60s for 2060 is OK, but '60s for 1960s is not OK, according to the source:

Use an apostrophe before the year for class years or abbreviations to indicate the "20" is omitted. Any reference to the decades or classes from the 1900s needs to use the "19."

Apparently, the apostrophe represents 20, not 19. It's odd, I agree, but it's what's recommended.

Do not use the word "on" before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion.

Right: The meeting will be held Monday.
Right: He will be inaugurated Feb. 22.
Right: The program ends in December

1. The meeting will be held on Monday. (Why 'on' isn't there?[/quote]

It means, if 'on' is redundant, then you can omit it e.g., The meeting will be held (on) Monday. :up: You can either add 'on' or leave 'on' out). Since 'on' usually goes with dates and days, leaving it out is OK because the reader/listener knows it's there.

All the best,

 

[jack]

Thanks.

Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?
1. People's mind.
2. Peoples' mind.
3. People's minds.
4. Peoples' minds.

 

[Casiopea]

People is plural so don't add -s before the apostrophe:

1. People's mind.
2. Peoples' mind.
3. People's minds.
4. Peoples' minds.

 

[jack]

What does #1 and #2 mean?
1. People's mind.
2. People's minds.

Are these correct?
3. I joined the computer geeks gang. (Describing what kind of gang?)
4. I joined the computer geeks’ gang. (computer geeks belong to 'gang'?)

('Computer Geek' as in the name of the gang)
5. I joined the Computer Geeks gang. (Is this correct?)
6. I joined the Computer Geeks' gang. (Correct?)