| Grade 5 version (apostrophe errors) | Grade 7–9 version (apostrophes correct) |
|---|---|
| "The audience's were restless. It's seat's were hard, the show hadn't started and it's curtain's were still closed." Errors: "audience's" = greengrocer's apostrophe (plain plural needed); "seat's" = plural, not possession; "it's" used where "its" is needed; "curtain's" = plural with no apostrophe needed. |
"The audiences were restless. Its seats were hard, the show hadn't started and its curtains were still closed." Correct: no apostrophe for plain plurals; "its" for possession; apostrophe retained in "hadn't" (contraction: had not). |
This comparison covers ⚖️ L2 vs L4: The Same Paragraph, Clean and Spliced within Apostrophe Usage for GCSE English Language. Revise Apostrophe Usage in AO6 Technical Accuracy for GCSE English Language with 10 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 5 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Apostrophe Usage
Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?
Which sentence uses 'its' or 'it's' correctly?
Quick recall flashcards
What is the 'greengrocer's apostrophe' and how do you avoid it?
<strong>The greengrocer’s apostrophe</strong> = putting an apostrophe before the <em>s</em> in a plain plural:<br><em>“Apple’s 50p” “DVD’s on sale” “The 1990’s”</em><br><br><strong>How to avoid it:</strong> ask two questions before adding any apostrophe:<br>1. Is something <em>belonging</em> to someone? → possession apostrophe<br>2. Are <em>letters missing</em>? → contraction apostrophe<br><br>If neither — no apostrophe needed. Simple plural = no apostrophe, ever.
What are the two jobs of the apostrophe?
<strong>Job 1 — Possession</strong> (something belongs to someone):<br><em>“the dog’s lead”</em> = the lead belonging to the dog<br><em>“the students’ work”</em> = work belonging to many students<br><br><strong>Job 2 — Contraction</strong> (letters are missing):<br><em>don’t</em> = do not • <em>it’s</em> = it is • <em>they’re</em> = they are<br><br><strong>The apostrophe NEVER signals a plural.</strong> “The dog’s” = one dog + possession or contraction. “The dogs” = several dogs, no apostrophe needed.