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Apostrophe Trouble

Which to Use: Its or 滨迟鈥檚? Whose or 奥丑辞鈥檚? Your or 驰辞耻鈥檙别? There, Their or 罢丑别测鈥檙别?

These homophones (sound-alikes) pose vexing questions for many writers: even if we know the difference (but maybe can鈥檛 explain it), we often make typographical errors and insert one when we mean the other.

The Difference: Possessive Pronouns versus Contractions

Possessive pronouns聽modify nouns and indicate possession of those nouns.

  • Whose聽car is that? The car belongs to Gary.

Contractions聽are a written manifestation of spoken language, in which letters are omitted to facilitate pronunciation; the missing letters are replaced with an apostrophe.

  • 奥丑辞鈥檚聽the owner of that car? =聽Who is聽the owner聽(an apostrophe replaces the 鈥渋鈥� in 鈥渋s鈥�)

Examples to Learn from: Possessive Pronouns versus Contractions

  • Its vs. 滨迟鈥檚
    • The cat hurt聽its听辫补飞.聽(the paw of the cat: possessive )
    • 滨迟鈥檚聽the cat purring. (it is: contraction)
  • Whose vs. 奥丑辞鈥檚
    • Whose聽car is that?聽(to whom does it belong: possessive)
    • 奥丑辞鈥檚聽the owner of this car?聽(who is: contraction)
  • Your vs. 驰辞耻鈥檙别
    • Is that聽your听肠补迟?聽(to whom does it belong? possessive)
    • 驰辞耻鈥檙别聽the owner of that cat?聽(who is: contraction)
  • There vs. Their vs. 罢丑别测鈥檙别

    The distinction between these three is a little more complicated.

    1. 鈥淭here鈥� indicates place or location:聽Put the box over聽there.
    2. 鈥淭heir鈥� is a possessive pronoun that indicates possession:聽笔耻迟听their聽box in a separate place.
    3. 鈥湴粘蟊鸩忖�檙别鈥� is a contraction for 鈥渢hey are鈥�:聽罢丑别测鈥檙别聽in the kitchen.
    • 罢丑别测鈥檙别聽(contraction) putting聽their聽(possessive) boxes over聽there听(濒辞肠补迟颈辞苍).

Application Strategies

  • Strategy 1: When in Doubt, Rephrase!

    Not sure whether you need a possessive pronoun or a contraction with an apostrophe?

    1. Ask yourself if the word in question can be rephrased as a possessive phrase, 鈥渙f the [blank],鈥� or a being phrase, 鈥淸blank] is鈥�;
    2. 鈥渙f the [blank],鈥� no apostrophe; 鈥淸blank] is,鈥� apostrophe required
  • Strategy 2: Proofread with a Focus on These Words

    When you proofread, take time to proofread any piece of writing one time through solely for instances of such words.

    To streamline your proofreading, consider using your word processor鈥檚 鈥淔ind鈥� tool to search your document for each of the terms discussed in this guide, taking time to evaluate each use: its, it鈥檚, whose, who鈥檚, your, you鈥檙e, there, their, and they鈥檙e.

Last revised: 07/2008 |聽Adapted for web delivery: 07/2021

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