Search results for “apostrophe”

Questions can often arise about how to make the plural and plural possessive forms of numbers, letters, and abbreviations. The following guidelines will help you apply a consistent style for everyday use. Plural of Letters Rule: The plurals for letters are typically not formed with apostrophes. However, do use an apostrophe and an s for …

Question: How do you form the plural of a proper noun that ends in y like Murphy? Should you change the name to Murphies as in I visited the Murphies yesterday? Answer: No. Never change the spelling of a name to show the plural form. Example: I visited the Murphys yesterday. Question: How do you …

Are you confused about how to show the plural and the possessive of certain names? Maybe you know to write I met the Smiths, I drove Brenda Smith’s Ferrari, and I visited the Smiths’ house. But what if the name is Sanchez or Church or Williams? Rule: To show the plural of a name that …

Grammar mistakes remain common in daily communication. While those of us who spend time at GrammarBook.com can reduce such solecisms, even the most observant can still potentially be duped by the occasional sneaky error. Because grammar mistakes in American English have always been and likely always will be, we thought it'd be fun and informative …

If you care to be honest, you'll admit that Delilah is a ne'er-do-well. Ralph should probably offer to share that ham sandwich, or Billy Ray is gonna snatch it from him anyway. Coulda, shoulda, woulda: This is what happens when we don't change the oil. Many of us who use American English have probably read, …

Many of us have probably written or spoken statements such as: Here's the keys to the car. Here are those toothpicks you asked for. Here's the ten baseball cards I owe you. Here is the article I told you about. They are common forms of expression in American English. When spoken, most of these remarks …

We often use language techniques and functions in our writing and speech with such familiarity that we might not even know what they are nor what we're applying. As one more-recognizable example, when we merge will with not to form won't, we are contracting the words. Another operation we use with instinct but perhaps not …

As we're wont to note on our website, the English language—and American English in particular—is a living, breathing entity. It changes and grows with the times and occasionally across regions as well. It's no surprise, then, that we sometimes get questions about newer words and regional spellings. Today we'll discuss whether the dialectical ya'll or …

You may have seen both yours and your's written before, particularly if you read blogs and social media. (Both forms can appear often in text messages too.) How do you know which word treatment is correct? Let's get to the bottom of that—along with the reason why so much confusion surrounds this topic. Yours vs. …

Two of the most commonly confused and misused words in American English are your and you're. Do you know the difference between them? If not, you'll appreciate this review. We're going to discuss the definition of each word as well as its proper usage. Let's jump in! Your vs. You're: The Basics We'll start by …