I. Contractions are words that are combinations of other words, but with missing elements usually indicated by an apostrophe: Let’s study together = Let us study together. Try to think of additional examples of each of the following kinds of contractions.
a. I’ll = I will
b. you’re = you are [contrast your]
c. it’s = it is (or it has) [contrast its]
d. they’re = they are [contrast their]
e. we’re = we are [contrast were]
f. doesn’t = does not
h. who’s = who is (or who has) [contrast whose]
i. there’s = there is [contrast theirs, as well as yours, hers, his, etc.]
II. Possessive nouns normally require an apostrophe. Possessive pronouns never ever require an apostrophe. Example 1: the visitation policy of the college: The college’s visitation policy does not appeal to all students. Example 2: the collar of it [say, a dog]: The dog lost its collar. [Contrast It’s too late now.]
a. Albert’s car = the car of Albert
b. your dorm = the dorm of you
c. the players’ skill = the skill of the players (note the plural construction: make the word plural, usually with “s” and then the possessive sign, usually an apostrophe)
d. the children’s school = the school of the children (note the unusual plural here, which requires both an apostrophe and an “s”)
e. the witness’s testimony = the testimony of the witness (note the required final “s”)
f. the two witnesses’ testimony = the testimony of two witnesses (plural again)
g. its engine = the engine of it [say, a car]
h. their anniversary = the anniversary of them
Note: Some possessive pronouns end in “s” when they are used as nouns: ours, yours, theirs, hers (compare and contrast my and mine).
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