Apostrophiles

    OK, sometimes a spelling error can be caused by a typo.  My question is this:  why do people go nuts with apostrophes?  It seems like any word that ends in "s" requires an apostrophe before it, unless of course the noun is possessive.  In that case, it's fine to take it or leave it.
    I'm sorry, I just have to cringe.  Here's a good bad example:  Out of all the boy's and girl's in fifth grade, Janes score was the highest.
    It's not all that difficult!!  Apostrophes are either placed in a contraction where one or more letters are missing (doesn't), or to show possession (the girl's hand).  More than one girl?  (The girls' hands)
     Correction for the above bad example:  Out of all the boys and girls in fifth grade, Jane's score was the highest.
    OK, I know I'm not perfect, I'm sure that mistakes get by me when I post.  I do correct them if I see them.  So, do you think, if you're (OOPS! Thank you for the correction!) an apostrophile, you could just try my suggestions above?  There are support groups for apostrophiles such as Apostrophilics Annonymous.  Check your local yellow pages for listings and may the Force be with you!

Comments

[Janet]

I see this a lot in school, but remember I work in an Elementary setting. I can read this print on your blog much better than the old one and I like it. Must be I'm getting old.

[landismom]

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have a number one punctuation pet peeve, but you've hit it on the head.

[CT]

Be aware that the life of a grammatical stickler is one fraught with bone-headed resentment and derision. Admonishments of "Get a lif!" (sic) will be common.

Sounds like you'd be a big fan of "Eats, Shoots & Leaves".

[LibraryLady]

Speaking of apostrophes, you might want to check your last paragraph and correct a phrase.
It's "YOU'RE an apostrophile", NOT "YOUR an astrophile"
:)

[Eliza]

Hey, at least in your example, the writer was consistent with the errors. What boggles my mind even more is when there's NO rhyme or reason to it, such as, ". . . all the boy's and girls. . ." In long messages filled with such randomness, sometimes that bugs me even more: how do they decide who gets one and who doesn't?

Remember, boys and girls, an apostrophe doesn't mean, "OOOOH, look, here comes an S!"

[rohit]

whatcha mean by punctuations'; I gotta no problems' with thos' punctuation's. Blogger's rules'!

[bocephus]

I wholeheartedly agree. It drives me crazy!

[Suzi]

Don't loose your cool over the apostrophile and it's many misuses ;-)

Can you guess my pet peeve?

And yeah. . .Eats, Shoots, and Leaves? That book rocks it.

[redmum]

Ha, I laughed heartily over this, you really do have a bit of a thing about punctuation. I am guessing that maybe you once worked in a newspaper. A friend, who is a subeditor in a paper, will always go mad over spelling etc on menus (note not menu's) and point out all the mistakes. Maybe I shouldn't have said that cos you will now start to really look around you... And that might drive you nuts.

[Kate]

Personally, I see more people leave out apostrophes then add them where unnecessary.