Grammar · Punctuation · A2 · Elementary

Apostrophe rules

Last updated 21 July 2026

In short

An apostrophe (') has two jobs: showing possession (my sister's car, the students' books) and marking missing letters in a contraction (don't, it's, she's). It is never used to make a plural noun — 'apple's' for more than one apple is always wrong, no matter how tempting the extra 's' looks.

How do you show possession for a singular noun?

Add apostrophe + s ('s) to a singular noun to show it owns or is connected to something, even if the noun already ends in s.

Style guides differ slightly on names ending in s (James's or James'), but adding 's and pronouncing the extra syllable is the safer default and always correct.

My sister's flat overlooks the harbour.
The boss's decision surprised everyone.(singular noun ending in s still takes 's)
The boss decision surprised everyone.(missing the possessive apostrophe → the boss's decision)

How do you show possession for a plural noun?

For a regular plural noun that already ends in s, add only an apostrophe after the s — don't add another s.

For an irregular plural that doesn't end in s (children, people, men, women), treat it like a singular noun and add 's.

The students' feedback shaped the new course.(plural 'students' already ends in s → apostrophe only)
The children's playground reopens on Monday.(irregular plural → 's, same as a singular noun)
The students's feedback shaped the new course.(→ the students' feedback)

How do apostrophes work in contractions?

In a contraction, the apostrophe sits exactly where letters are missing, joining two words into one — do not becomes don't, it is becomes it's, they are becomes they're.

Contractions are completely natural in speech and informal writing but are usually avoided in formal IELTS Writing Task 2, where the full forms read as more academic.

I can't make the meeting on Thursday.(cannot → can't)
She's been working from home since March.(she has → she's)
I cant make the meeting on Thursday.(missing apostrophe → can't)

Why is 'it's' the exception to the possession rule?

'It's' always means 'it is' or 'it has' — it is never possessive. The possessive form of 'it' is 'its', with no apostrophe at all, following the same pattern as his, hers and theirs, none of which take an apostrophe either.

If you can replace 'it's' with 'it is' or 'it has' and the sentence still makes sense, the apostrophe is correct; if not, you need 'its'. (See the dedicated its-vs-it's page for a full breakdown.)

The company changed its logo last year.(possessive — no apostrophe, like 'his logo')
It's the first time the logo has changed in a decade.(it's = it is)
The company changed it's logo last year.(possessive 'its' never takes an apostrophe → its logo)

Can an apostrophe ever make a word plural?

No. A plain apostrophe + s never marks a plural — only possession or a contraction. Simple plural nouns just add s or es, with no apostrophe at all, even for numbers, decades, and abbreviations.

This mistake, sometimes called the 'greengrocer's apostrophe', is one of the most visible punctuation errors in English and is heavily penalised in formal IELTS writing.

We sell fresh apples and bananas every morning.(plain plural — no apostrophe)
The 1990s were a decade of rapid technological change.(decades take a plain s, never an apostrophe)
We sell fresh apple's and banana's every morning.(→ apples and bananas — apostrophes never form plurals)

Common mistakes with apostrophe rules

Real learner errors, corrected and explained — the fastest way to stop repeating them.

The company lost it's biggest client last year.

The company lost its biggest client last year.

The possessive 'its' never takes an apostrophe — only 'it's' (it is / it has) does.

My parent's live in a small town near Hanoi.

My parents live in a small town near Hanoi.

This is a plain plural (more than one parent), not a possessive, so no apostrophe is needed at all.

The teams captain gave an interview after the match.

The team's captain gave an interview after the match.

A singular noun showing ownership (the team owns the captain role) needs 's, which is missing here.

Both of the boys' bike's were stolen from the yard.

Both of the boys' bikes were stolen from the yard.

'Bikes' is a plain plural here (no possession), so it takes no apostrophe; 'boys'' correctly shows plural possession.

Its going to rain later, so bring an umbrella.

It's going to rain later, so bring an umbrella.

'It's' is the contraction of 'it is', which is needed here — the possessive 'its' would leave the sentence without a verb.

Well done to all of this years graduate's.

Well done to all of this year's graduates.

'Year's' needs an apostrophe to show possession (of this year), while 'graduates' is a plain plural and takes none.

The 90's brought a wave of new bands.

The 90s brought a wave of new bands.

Decades are plain plurals — 90s, 1990s — and never take an apostrophe.

Apostrophe rules in IELTS

Grammatical Range and Accuracy is 25% of your Speaking and Writing scores — here is where this structure earns marks.

Speaking

Apostrophes are silent in speech, but examiners still expect accurate possessive forms — 'my sister's husband', not 'my sister husband' — as part of clear, accurate grammar in Part 1 family and lifestyle questions.
Contractions (I'm, it's, we've) sound natural and fluent in speaking; using only full forms can sound stiff, so don't avoid them the way you might in Writing Task 2.

Writing

Avoid contractions in Task 2 — write 'do not' and 'it is' in full, since formal academic register is part of what examiners expect at Band 7+.
Possessive apostrophe errors (the countrys economy, childrens education) are marked as punctuation mistakes under Grammatical Range and Accuracy — proofread every 's before submitting.

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Frequently asked questions

When do you use an apostrophe?

Use an apostrophe to show possession (Maria's book, the team's coach) or to mark missing letters in a contraction (don't, it's, we're). It is never used simply to make a noun plural.

Do you add 's or just an apostrophe for plural possessives?

If the plural already ends in s (students, dogs), add only an apostrophe: the students' union. If the plural doesn't end in s (children, people), add 's just like a singular noun: the children's toys.

Is it correct to write 'apple's' for more than one apple?

No. Plain plurals never take an apostrophe — write 'apples'. An apostrophe + s only appears for possession (the apple's skin) or a contraction, never to signal more than one of something.

What's the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?

'Its' is possessive, meaning 'belonging to it', and never has an apostrophe: 'The dog wagged its tail.' 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has': 'It's raining.' If you can substitute 'it is', use the apostrophe; otherwise, use 'its'.

Do names ending in s need an extra s after the apostrophe?

Usually yes — 'James's book' is the standard modern form and is always safe to use. 'James' book' (apostrophe only) is also accepted in some style guides, so either is fine as long as you're consistent.

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