An Open Letter
Jan. 17th, 2005 11:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
c9Dear English-speakers:
Please remove the apostrophe from your keyboard. We all use it incorrectly. Argh.
Sincerely,
Cam
If you ever want to add an apostrophe to a noun, don't. One apple, two apples. Not apple's. Apple's means that the apple owns something. Similar to Joe's Truck Stop. Even in a weird situation, like PDA or flea. Cam likes PDAs, the dog might have fleas. Not PDA's. Not flea's.
What about its and it's? Every time you want to type it's, replace it with "it is." If it still works, then it's OK. (see? it is OK.) There's a similar test for "its." Replace it with "her" and if it still works, you're fine.
It's about time. = It is about time.
The dog chased its tail. = The dog chased her tail.
If I made a typo in this bit, I'm sorry. But my mind is on other things today. :-)
More info on this, even though nobody cares about this like I do: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html
Please remove the apostrophe from your keyboard. We all use it incorrectly. Argh.
Sincerely,
Cam
If you ever want to add an apostrophe to a noun, don't. One apple, two apples. Not apple's. Apple's means that the apple owns something. Similar to Joe's Truck Stop. Even in a weird situation, like PDA or flea. Cam likes PDAs, the dog might have fleas. Not PDA's. Not flea's.
What about its and it's? Every time you want to type it's, replace it with "it is." If it still works, then it's OK. (see? it is OK.) There's a similar test for "its." Replace it with "her" and if it still works, you're fine.
It's about time. = It is about time.
The dog chased its tail. = The dog chased her tail.
If I made a typo in this bit, I'm sorry. But my mind is on other things today. :-)
More info on this, even though nobody cares about this like I do: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html
