Workshop 7: Apostrophes, Faulty Predication

Presents:The Dirty DozenWorkshop Series

Workshop Seven:Apostrophes& Faulty Predication

Part One:Apostrophes

Which sentence iscorrect?The ground crew quickly prepared theplane for it’s next flight.The ground crew quickly prepared theplane for its next flight.

The ground crew quickly preparedthe plane for it’s next flight.The ground crew quickly preparedthe plane for its next flight.Why?Answer A is incorrectbecause it’s means it is.Its shows possession.

Apostrophe UseApostrophes are used for:1. Contractions.Example: He wasn’t (was not) excited to leave.2. Possessive nouns & indefinite pronouns.Examples: John’s pet raccoon is smelly.The answer was anyone’s guess.

Possessive PronunciationWe often do not pronounce the possessive –s of:• Singular nouns ending in an –s, -z, or –x sound.• Names with more than one –s (Moses).• Names that sound like plurals (Rivers, Bridges).• Nouns followed by a word beginning in an –s.Examples:Moses’ mother hid him in a basket.Jeff Bridges’ performance in The BigLebowski has made the film a lasting favorite.You are late again for goodness’ sake!

Apostrophe Errors (apos)Until recently apostrophes were used to form theplurals of abbreviations (MFA’s), dates (1980’s) andwords or characters named as words*, (if’s, and’s,but’s). Most current texts no longer recommend theapostrophe in these cases.Correct: He earned two MFAs in the 1980s.My phone number has three 4s [or 4s].Your plan has too many ifs [or ifs].*For a word or a character named as a word, underline oritalicize it, but do not underline or italicize the added –s.

Checking for (apos) ErrorsRule #1:An apostrophe will always beplaced either before or after an-s at the end of a “noun owner.”Examples:That store’s sales figures are alwaysimpressive. (1 store)Those three stores’ sales figures arealways impressive. (3 stores)

Checking for (apos) ErrorsRule #2:The “noun owner” will alwaysbe followed by what it owns.Examples:That store’s sales figures arealways impressive.Those three stores’ sales figuresare always impressive.

Making Possessive NounsStep 1. Determine the owner. In theseexamples, the owner is store or stores.Step 2. If the “noun owner” is singular, placean apostrophe and an s at the end of the noun.storestore’sStep 3. If the “noun owner” is plural, place theapostrophe at the end of the noun. If the pluralnoun ends in s, do not add another s.storesstores’

Plural PossessivesSome plural nouns do not end in s. To form thepossessive of plural nouns that do not end in s,add an apostrophe and s at the end of the noun.Examples:micechildrenmenmice’s (not mices’)children’s (not childrens’)men’s (not mens’)

Possessive PronounsSome indefinite pronouns form theirpossessives by adding an apostropheand an s at the end of the pronoun.Examples:anybodyeveryonesomeoneanybody’severyone’ssomeone’s

Personal PronounsPersonal pronouns do not add anapostrophe to form the possessive.Examples:yours (not your’s)hers (not her’s)ours (not our’s)its (not it’s)

Its vs. It’sThe ground crew quickly preparedthe plane for it’s next flight.It’s always means it is or it has.The ground crew quickly preparedthe plane for its next flight.Its is the possessive pronoun.(Psst! The construction its’ does not exist.The plural possessive would be their.)

PossessiveCompound NounsTo make a compound noun possessive,add an apostrophe or apostrophe and sto the last word in the compound.ExampleSingular: brother-in-law brother-in-law’sPlural: brothers-in-law brothers-in-law’s

Joint OwnershipTo show joint ownership by two people,add an apostrophe or apostrophe -s to thesecond noun of the pair.Example:Shana borrowed her mother andfather’s car for a road trip.If the two members of a noun pair possessa set of things individually, add anapostrophe or apostrophe -s to each noun.Example:Both Molly’s and David’s familieswent skiing last week.

Inappropriate Apostrophes• Apostrophes should not beused to form plurals.Incorrect: The dog’s barked loudly.Correct: The dogs barked loudly.• Apostrophes should not beused with verbs that end in s.Incorrect: She want’s to go jogging.Correct: She wants to go jogging.’

In the following pairs, one sentenceis correct, and the other sentencehas an incorrect use of anapostrophe or a missing apostrophe.A. Lucas left class to go tothe men’s room.B. Lucas left class to go tothe mens’ room.

A. Lucas left class to go tothe men’s room.B. Lucas left class to go tothe mens’ room.Answer B is incorrect. The plural of manis men, so the plural possessive is men’s.Remember, first make the noun plural;then make it possessive.

In the following pairs, one sentenceis correct, and the other sentencehas an incorrect use of anapostrophe or a missing apostrophe.A. Of all my coworker’s, I likeMichelle the best.B. Of all my coworkers, I likeMichelle the best.

A. Of all my coworker’s, I likeMichelle the best.B. Of all my coworkers, I likeMichelle the best.Answer A is incorrect. Coworker’s is thepossessive. Coworkers is the plural.(Remember that an apostrophe does notmake a noun plural.)

In the following pairs, one sentenceis correct, and the other sentencehas an incorrect use of anapostrophe or a missing apostrophe.A. Matt bought two weeks’ worth offood supplies for his camping trip.B. Matt bought two week’s worth offood supplies for his camping trip.

Part Two:Faulty Predication

Which sentenceis correct?Dementia is a neurological disorder thataffects memory.Dementia is when a person has aneurological disorder that affects memory.

Dementia is a neurological disorderthat affects memory.Dementia is when a person has aneurological disorder that affects memory.Why?Answer B is incorrectbecause dementia is not atime, but a disorder.

Faulty Predication (fp)Faulty predication occurs when thesubject and the verb do not make sensetogether. In other words, the subjectcan’t “be” or “do” the predicate.

What’s a Predicate?The predicate is the part of the sentence orclause, including the verb, that expresseswhat the subject is or does.Michele worked studiously on her paper.subjectpredicate

(fp) ExampleThe purpose of cars wereinvented to transport people.(The purpose was not invented. Carswere invented.)Correct:The purpose of cars is to transport people.Cars were invented to transport people.

How to spot (fp)TiponeThe phrase “is when” canindicate a faulty predicate.Golf is when people try to hit small ballsinto holes in the ground using clubs.(Golf is not a time.)Golf is a sport that involves people hittingsmall balls into holes in the ground using clubs.

How to spot (fp)TiptwoThe phrase “is where” canindicate a faulty predicate.Claustrophobia is where a person isafraid of enclosed spaces.(Claustrophobia is not a place.)Claustrophobia is a disorder that causes aperson to fear enclosed spaces.

How to spot (fp)TipthreeThe phrase “the reason isbecause…” is redundant.The reason for low sales isbecause prices are too high.The reason for low sales is thatprices are too high.Sales are low because prices aretoo high.

How to spot (fp)TipfourPrepositional phrasescannot be the subjects ofsentences.During the hurricane’s windscaused a lot of damage.The hurricane’s winds caused alot of damage.

In the following pairs ofsentences, one sentence hasfaulty predication, and the othersentence has a subject and averb that “match.”A. Fishing is when people catch fishusing hooks and bait.B. When people go fishing, they usehooks and bait to catch fish.

A. Fishing is when people catch fishusing hooks and bait.B. When people go fishing, they usehooks and bait to catch fish.Answer A is incorrect becausefishing is not a time.

In the following pairs ofsentences, one sentence hasfaulty predication, and the othersentence has a subject and averb that “match.”A.In her frustration with traffic causedher to get a speeding ticket.B. Her frustration with traffic causedher to get a speeding ticket.

A.In her frustration with traffic causedher to get a speeding ticket.B. Her frustration with traffic causedher to get a speeding ticket.Answer A is incorrect. In her frustration is aprepositional phrase, and therefore cannotbe the subject of a sentence.

In the following pairs ofsentences, one sentence hasfaulty predication, and the othersentence has a subject and averb that “match.”A. A rare antique in good conditioncan sell for thousands of dollarsat auction.B. The good condition of a rareantique can sell for thousands ofdollars at auction.

A. A rare antique in good conditioncan sell for thousands of dollarsat auction.B. The good condition of a rareantique can sell for thousands ofdollars at auction.Answer B is incorrect. Thegood condition cannot be sold.Only the antique can be sold.

Thanks for coming!See you next semester!

Thanksgiving is where family and friend’sget together and eat lots of turkey. Myfamilys house is always full of good smellsand tons of people. Dad’s favorite thing todo on Thanksgiving is watch football. Thereason he likes to watch the game isbecause he used to play football in collegeIts his favorite sport. I cant imagineThanksgiving without football!