Minilesson Print
Using Apostrophes in Contractions and Possessives
![Using Apostrophes in Contractions and Possessives Open book with imaginary landscape](https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/sites/k12/files/minilesson/images/shutterstock_132452552.jpg)
Your Turn Read the rules for apostrophes in contractions and possessives. Then read the paragraph, which needs apostrophes. Write each word that needs an apostrophe and show where it should go, or print the lesson and mark your corrections.
Apostrophe Rules:
- Use an apostrophe to show that one or more letters have been left out of a contraction: cannot becomes can't (leaving out "no").
- Add an apostrophe and an s to form the possessive of most singular nouns: dog becomes dog's.
- Add just an apostrophe to form the possessive of most plural nouns: dogs becomes dogs'.
- Do not use an apostrophe with the possessive forms of pronouns: its, hers, theirs, whose, ours.
![Creative Commons License](https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png)
Using Apostrophes in Contractions and Possessives by Thoughtful Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at k12.thoughtfullearning.com/minilesson/using-apostrophes-contractions-and-possessives.