The Grange School
Grammar and Sentence Structure
Module 1
The Literacy Toolkit
Apostrophes
Apostrophes
Aim:
Revise the use of the apostrophe to
show possession and omission.
Outcome:
You’ll be able to show your
understanding.
Literacy Alert!
Literacy Alert!
Literacy Alert!
What Are Possessive
Apostrophes?
Apostrophes are used to show that
someone or something belongs to another
person or thing.
For Example: Ben owns a bike. It is Ben’s bike.
The dog has a tail. It is the dog’s tail.
The owner always gets the apostrophe plus ‘s’ after its
name. However, if the owner is more than one person the
‘s’ is dropped. For example: The boys’ cricket team. The
apostrophe goes after ‘boys’ to show that the team belongs
to a group of boys not just one and the ‘s’ is dropped.
Possessive Apostrophes
Use the possessive apostrophe to shorten these
phrases. The first one has been done for you:
1. The pencil case belongs to Adele.
Adele’s pencil case.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The photograph taken by Billy.
The wings of the dove.
The house where the twins live.
The behaviour of the pupils.
The party for dad.
The sporting prowess Mr Simpson.
The diary of Sarah.
Check your understanding
Did you get these right?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Adele’s pencil case.
Billy’s photograph.
The dove’s wings.
The twins’ house.
The pupils’ behaviour.
Dad’s party.
Mr Simpson’s sporting prowess.
Sarah's diary.
How are Apostrophes used to
show omission?
Apostrophes are also used to show that a
letter has been missed out.
For Example: ‘I am going home’ becomes ‘I’m going
home’. The apostrophe replaces the letter ‘a’.
The omission of letters that are replaced by an
apostrophe is used more frequently in informal writing.
You will often use apostrophes to show omission when
writing spoken language.
Apostrophes to show Omitted Letters
Use the apostrophe to show missing letters
in these sentences:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
I did not want to go home.
They cannot be serious.
Have you not finished eating?
What is the weather like?
She would not let me help.
I would love to be a Literacy Leader.
Check Your Understanding
How did you do? Give yourself one
mark for each correct sentence.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
I didn’t want to go home.
They can’t be serious.
Haven’t you finished eating?
What’s the weather like?
She wouldn’t let me help.
I’d love to be a Literacy Leader.
Prove that you
understand…
• Write me two sentences which contain a
possessive apostrophe. One of the
sentences must have an apostrophe after
the ‘s’.
• Write me one sentence which contains an
apostrophe of omission.