Apostrophes do two jobs: they show a missing letter (it’s = it is) and they show belonging (Sam’s hat). The trouble starts when the two jobs look alike. Apostrophe Alley tackles the pairs that catch out almost everyone.
What your child will learn
- Choose between its and it’s, your and you’re
- Choose between their, there and they’re
- Place the apostrophe for one owner (the girl’s bag) and several owners (the girls’ bags)
- Know that ordinary plurals never need an apostrophe
Try the long version
If you can swap in “it is” and the sentence still makes sense, write it’s. If not, write its — the one that shows belonging has no apostrophe. For owners, write down who owns it first, then add the apostrophe: one boy → the boy’s hat; three boys → the boys’ hats; children → the children’s toys.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Which word fits? “___ my best friend.”
- Your
- Youre
- Yore
- You’re
Show answer
Answer: You’re. You’re is short for “you are”.
2. Which word fits? “Put the book over ___.”
- they’re
- their
- there
- thier
Show answer
Answer: there. There is about a place.
3. Which word fits? “The children put on ___ shoes.”
- thier
- their
- there
- they’re
Show answer
Answer: their. Their shows that the shoes belong to them.
Tips for grown-ups
- Read sentences aloud with “it is” in place of it’s to test them.
- Look for wrongly used apostrophes on shop signs and menus.
- Make a poster of their, there and they’re with a picture clue for each.