Look at the text below. There are lots of apostrophes missing.
Some of them are needed in contractions (e.g. I am -> I'm).
Some are needed to show something belongs to someone or something [e.g. the dog's bowl (one dog with a bowl which belongs to it) or the girls' mother (two or more girls with a mother who belongs to them)].
Don't use an apostrophe with plurals (e.g. four tables, lots of glasses of wine) unless there is belonging.
BODMIN'S BIG NIGHT!
The prisoners legs were chained together as they stumbled through Bodmins deserted streets. 'I cant go on!' cried the taller one. 'Shut up, Im tired too. Youve got to keep going or theyll take us back there,' panted the short, dark one.
Some of the sleeping peoples dogs woke up and started barking. Joe Browns wifes aunt jumped out of bed, rushed to the window and yelled, 'Shut those dogs up or Ill call the police!' There were sobs coming from Joes childrens room.
Joes dog, Killer, broke its chain. It bolted through the Smiths garden, trampling Mrs. Smiths vegetables. The dogs keen eyes spotted the exhausted prisoners and it leapt on them. 'Aargh! Hes got me!' yelled one. The mens screams were awful to hear.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
The prisoner's legs were chained together ...
The prisoners' legs were chained together ...
The prisoners legs' were chained together ...
The prisoners legs were chained together ...
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
... Bodmin's deserted streets.
... Bodmins' deserted streets.
... Bodmin's deserted streets'.
... Bodmins deserted streets.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
'I ca'nt go on!' 'Shut up, I'm tired too.'
'I can't go on!' 'Shut up, I'm tired too.'
'I ca'nt go on!' 'Shut up, Im tired too.'
'I cant go on!' 'Shut up, Im tired too.'
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
'You've got to keep going or the'yll take us back there.'
'Youv'e got to keep going or theyll take us back there.'
'You've got to keep going or they'll take us back there.'
'Youve got to keep going or theyll take us back there.'
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
Some of the sleeping peoples' dogs woke up ...
Some of the sleeping people's dog's woke up ...
Some of the sleeping people's dogs woke up ...
Some of the sleeping peoples dogs woke up ...
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
Joe Brown's wife's aunt jumped out of bed ...
Joe Browns wife's aunt jumped out of bed ...
Joe Browns' wifes' aunt jumped out of bed ...
Joe Browns wifes aunt jumped out of bed ...
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
'Shut those dog's up or Ill call the police!'
'Shut those dog's up or I'll call the police!'
'Shut those dogs' up or I'll call the police!'
'Shut those dogs up or I'll call the police!'
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
There were sobs' coming from Joe's childrens room.
There were sob's coming from Joes children's room.
There were sobs coming from Joe's childrens' room.
There were sobs coming from Joe's children's room.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
Joe's dog, Killer, broke it's chain.
Joes' dog, Killer, broke its chain.
Joe's dog, Killer, broke its chain.
Joes dog, Killer, broke its chain.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
It bolted through the Smiths' garden, trampling Mrs. Smith's vegetables.
It bolted through the Smith's garden, trampling Mrs. Smith's vegetables.
It bolted through the Smiths' garden, trampling Mrs. Smith's vegetable's.
It bolted through the Smith's garden, trampling Mrs. Smith's vegetables'.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
The dogs' keen eyes spotted the exhausted prisoners and it leapt on them.
The dog's keen eye's spotted the exhausted prisoners and it leapt on them.
The dog's keen eyes spotted the exhausted prisoner's and it leapt on them.
The dog's keen eyes spotted the exhausted prisoners and it leapt on them.
Which piece of text below has apostrophes correctly used?
'Aargh! He's got me!' yelled one. The mens' screams were awful to hear.
'Aargh! He's got me!' yelled one. The men's screams were awful to hear.
'Aargh! He's got me!' yelled one. The mens' screams' were awful to hear.
'Aargh! He's got me!' yelled one. The men's scream's were awful to hear.