Lesson 16
Punctuation: Within Words
The main marks of punctuation used within words are apostrophes and hyphens. Apostrophes are used to
indicate omitted letters; hyphens are used to link words or parts of a word into one.
One use for apostrophes is within contractions like the following:
don't
we'll
do not
we will
it's
'98
it is
1998
In the most formal writing, contractions should be avoided. They are acceptable, however, in speech and in
informal writing.
Be careful that you do not confuse contractions with possessive pronouns. It's(contraction) and its(possessive)
are often confused, as are their's and theirs and they're and their. If you have trouble deciding which one to
use, take a moment to remember what words the contraction stands for. If the sentence still makes sense when
you substitute those words, you can use the contraction. Otherwise, use the possessive pronoun.
What makes the distinction between contractions and possessive pronouns so confusing to some people is the
fact that apostrophes are also used to make words possessive:
Amina's pen
report's cover
employees' wages
Be careful to use the possessive form only when "ownership" is indicated; change the words around and add
of as a test:
Amina's pen
report's cover
employees' wages
pen of Amina
cover of the report
wages of the employees
It is sometimes hard to figure out where to put the apostrophe when showing ownership. As a rule, you
simply add 's to the end of any word that does not already end in s, whether the word is singular or plural:
Cathy Onishi's letter
Grady Inc.'s main office
children's books
people's needs
If the word is plural and ends in s and an s sound, you usually add just an apostrophe at the end:
consultants' recommendations
Morrises' home
twenty dollars' worth
companies' plans
You add 's to singular words that end in one s or s sound, an apostrophe along when the word ends in two s
sounds:
boss's chair
Mr. Sanchez's office
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Lesson 16: Punctuation: Within Words
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With compound nouns, add the apostrophe to the last word:
mother-in-law's idea
attorney general's opinion
When two or more individuals each own something separately, you should use the apostrophe with both
names. But when they own something together, use the apostrophe with only the second name:
Paul's and Sam's offices
Paul and Sam's office
The use of apostrophes in business names can become complicated. For example, some organizations use the
apostrophe and some don't:
Harrison's Hardware, Inc.
Friedmann Leasing, Ltd.
There is no hard and fast rule for using apostrophes with the names of organizations. Check the organization's
letterhead or a directory.
Nor is there a rule you can consult to decide whether to use an apostrophe in phrases like these:
employee handbook
employees' handbook
employee's handbook
Consult other company documents for guidance in these cases—or use your judgment to figure out the real
meaning behind the words you are using.
With most abbreviations, the apostrophe is used to form possessives just as it would be with any other word—
although you must be careful to put the apostrophe after the period, if there is one:
CBS's report
R.N.'s schedule
You should not use an apostrophe to indicate plural numbers (for example, 1990s is correct), but you should
use apostrophes with letters used as letters (A's and B's).
Test your ability to use apostrophes properly by adding them wherever necessary in the following exercises:
1. Collect every employees timecard on Friday.
2. Is that Tracys or Nicks?
3. The outcome of the test is anyones guess.
4. All the attorneys offices are cleaned every night.
5. Well discuss the mens coat department tomorrow.
6. Mr. Dunne completed the course in the 1960s with all As.
7. Its hard to see how their situation could improve.
8. We might buy a thousand dollars worth.
9. Where did you get IBMs annual report?
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English Essentials
10. The electronics industry gives its best wages to Ph.D.s.
The other type of punctuation mark commonly used within words is the hyphen. Hyphens are always used to
separate the main part of a word from the prefixes all, ex, and self; the main part from the suffix elect; a
prefix from a capitalized word; and a prefix or suffix from numbers or letters:
all-inclusive
chairperson-elect
ex-athlete
non-European
self-controlled
mid-1990s
Adding a prefix to a noun that already has a modifier presents a problem:
ex-prime minister
or ex-prime-minister?
Avoid the issue: former prime minister
Other words that combine parts may or may not use a hyphen. In fact, they may or may not be two separate
words:
half hour
half-baked
halfway
The best way to find out whether to use a hyphen in words like these is to look them up in a dictionary.
(However, remember that dictionaries take different approaches to hyphenating words.) If the combined word
does not appear in the dictionary, it should be written as two separate words.
Hyphens are also used to combine whole words. For example, the following nouns use a hyphen:
programmer-analyst
sister-in-law
However, authorities vary widely on which combinations of nouns require a hyphen. In general, the use of
hyphens can improve readability, as in the following situations:
Awkward combinations of letters:
More than one meaning:
re-enact, twist-tie
The Reform Party has re-formed as The Alliance Party.
Multiple modifiers preceding a noun:
We plan to start a small business publication. (a business publication that is small)
We plan to start a small-business publication. (a publication for small businesses)
Ask the intern to prepare a short term paper. (a term paper that is short)
Ask the intern to prepare a short-term paper. (a paper dealing with the short term)
It is unnecessary to hyphenate combinations of an adjective and a modifier ending in ly—because a modifier
that ends in ly is an adverb, and clearly modifies the adjective, not the noun: poorly marketed product, newly
hired employee.
When a sentence contains a series of hyphenated words that are similar, you may shorten it by dropping the
repeated word:
We need to order some three- and four-compartment servers.