THE APOSTROPHE.
Rule I. Letters Omitted.—The apostrophe is used to indicate the omission of a letter or letters.
EXAMPLES.
“O Marcia, O my sister, still there’s hope!”—Addison.
“Thou knowest ’tis common; all, that live, must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.”—Shakespeare.
REMARK.
The apostrophe is made like a comma, but is placed above the line.
Rule II. Possession.—The apostrophe is used to denote possession.
EXAMPLES.
Taine’s “English Literature.” Rawlinson’s “Ancient Monarchies.”
REMARKS.
1. The apostrophe and s should be used with nouns in the singular, even when the word ends in s or x; as,—
- “Dickens’s Works.”—Appleton’s Journal.
- “Cox’s General History of Greece.”—Harper’s Magazine.
- “Evans’s observations.”—Edinburgh Review.
- “Mr. Hayes’s responsibility.”—N. Y. Nation.
In addition to the periodicals given above, The Atlantic, Scribner’s Monthly, Lippincott’s Magazine, Popular Science Monthly, Galaxy, N. A. Review, London Quarterly, British Quarterly, Fortnightly Review, use the additional s. The Westminster omits the additional s. In the Contemporary and Edinburgh Review, the s is used by some writers and omitted by others.
2. In the plural of nouns, the apostrophe and s are used to denote possession, when the word does not end in s; as, men’s deeds. If the word ends in s, the apostrophe only is used; as, my neighbors’ house.
3. The apostrophe should not be used before s in ours, yours, hers, theirs, its.