When we speak we often shorten and combine words to make what we
say quicker. For example, few people say:
I do not want to go.
I am hungry.
He has just done it.
Most people shorten these sentences like this:
I don't want to go.
I'm hungry.
He's just done it.
When writing these sentences we have to use an apostrophe (') to
show that we have left a letter/s out.
A. Put in the missing apostrophe in the following sentences:
1. I havent seen him.
2. She doesnt like me.
3. Id like a piece of pizza, please.
4. He wont tell me how to do it.
5. She wasnt there.
6. She wants to go but I dont.
7. Whos the new student in your homeroom
8. Were going to the cinema tomorrow.
9. Youre coming to our party, arent you?
10. Theres someone in the garden.
Some students put an apostrophe in a word when they don't need
one. For example:
She like's me.*
I don't like apple's*
* means the sentence is wrong!
Remember: an apostrophe stands for a missing letter and there is
no letter missing in the words "likes" and "apples".
B. Now decide whether you need an apostrophe or not. Delete the
wrong apostrophes.
1. He speak's four languages but he doesn't know Portuguese.
2. Who'se bag is that?
3. What's the time? - It's 5 o'clock.
4. My friend has lots of pet's.
5. He drink's coffee but he doesn't drink tea.
6. My dog has lost it's bone.
7. Is this book your's?
8. Who's going to get the best grade's in the next test?
C. Now correct these sentences; sometimes you need to delete an
apostrophe, sometimes you have to type one in.
1. Hes from Japan.
2. Those book's arent yours, theyre mine!
3. Im sure its going to rain.
4. Its been snowing all week.
5. You must pick up a cat at the back of it's neck. It's wrong to
pick it up by the tail.
6. Id like to come but Im playing tennis with my friend's that
day.