Comments on: Punctuation Errors: Apostrophe for Plurals

By: Celia

Celia — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:08:53 +0000

Thanks for the info, I will pass it to a friend who keeps making this mistake. It gets on my nerves big time.
My only disagreement (and I might be wrong) is in relation to your sentence “especially those that speak English as a foreign language”. At least in Spanish (and this is where I might be wrong, as I cannot speak for other languages) we have nothing like your apostrophe for expressing possession; and plurals, on the other hand, are pretty similar.
I have only seen this mistake in native (if careless) English speakers.
Thank you again for this useful post.

By: Robin May

Robin May — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:02:40 +0000

I see so many signs in front of homes, which read “The Johnson’s” or “The Smith’s”, that I had actually started to wonder if I was the one who is mistaken about this being improper use of the apostrophe! I feel bad for these people who have spent good money on expensive signs or rock carvings which are incorrect.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:32:14 +0000

Although I applaud your efforts to save the much misused and long-suffering apostrophe, could I ask you why so many people, as you do, use the non-sentient relative pronoun “that”!!!! I quote from your splendid article: “Many people, especially those that speak English as a foreign language, tend to make this blatant mistake.”
Please, please, please, use the correct interrogative or relative pronoun, WHO, when referring to human beings.
Thank you for your diligence and love of our language, its meanings and symbols.
E

By: Marek Kuczynski

Marek Kuczynski — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:23:44 +0000

I have an ongoing disagreement with someone over the use of the apostrophe in “girls choir”. Because it is a choir FOR girls (dative form) as opposed to a choir BELONGING TO girls, I am sure that an apostrophe is not required. Another example is “visitors car park”. If you look around at signs for car parks around the country, you will always find them written without the apostrophe. The same goes for ladies (and gents) toilets.

The use of an apostrophe for plurals is mandatory if you are a greengrocer, for example: Apple’s, Plum’s, Cauliflower’s, etc. I call it “Greengrocer’s Syndrome” (note the correct use of the apostrophe!)

By: Daniela

Daniela — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:58:09 +0000

I really liked this site at all, mainy the punctuation issues. I´m a non-native speaker and I sometimes get confused when I come across it: what to use?? We sometimes forget that Portuguese language rules can be also aplied to English.
From now on, I´ll pay more attention to all this punctuation tips (rules, by the way).
Congrats!
Daniela