Exploring the Artistry of the English Language

Its and It's

(DISCLAIMER!!! I MAKE MISTAKES. CORRECT ME IF I GET ANYTHING WRONG!)

A different language is a different vision of life. - Federico Fellini

Chapter One pt. 1: Punctuation

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Welcome to our dive into language structure—a journey into understanding how words fit together. In this first chapter, we're setting off to unravel the complexities of Punctuation.

Grammar is like the scaffolding of communication, helping us express thoughts clearly. Yet, it can feel like a maze of rules. But fear not! Here, we'll break it down, showing why grammar matters in our everyday conversations.

Reflect on your own experiences with language. Have you ever been confused about when to use "its" and "it's," or struggled with other tricky grammar rules? Whether you've grappled with these challenges before or you're new to navigating language intricacies, this chapter is here to help you tackle them with confidence.

Today, we set our sights on one of the most misunderstood punctuation marks in the English language: the apostrophe. Often overlooked or misused, the apostrophe plays a crucial role in indicating possession and forming contractions. Throughout this chapter, we'll delve into the rules governing its usage and explore common pitfalls to avoid.

It's hard to know when or where to use an apostrophe; So, I'll first show some examples of incorrect and correct usage of it.

For example:

The cat's are sleeping.

The cats are sleeping.

The first one is the incorrect one because the word's pronunciation would not fit with the context. "Cat's" and "Cats" would be pronounced differently. I'll explain why in a bit.

Another reason why the apostrophe is so important is because it helps you determine which tone you should use when reading a sentence.

When there's an apostrophe before an "s" in a word, it typically indicates possession. It shows that something belongs to or is associated with the noun that comes before the apostrophe.

For example:

"Sarah's book" means the book belongs to Sarah.

"The cat's collar" indicates the collar belongs to the cat.

In some cases, the apostrophe "s" can also indicate a contraction, a contraction is where two words are combined to form one shorter word. This is commonly seen with verbs and pronouns.

For example:

"It's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."

"She's" is a contraction of "she is" or "she has."

Understanding when to use the possessive apostrophe "s" and when it signifies a contraction is essential for clear and accurate communication in writing.

So, with this in mind, the reason why "cat's" is grammatically incorrect in "The cat's are sleeping." is because "cat's" is a possessive form, indicating that something belongs to the cat. However, in this sentence, "cat's" is followed by "are," which is a plural verb form.

The correct possessive form for the plural noun "cats" (meaning more than one cat) is simply "cats'." So, the correct sentence would be "The cats are sleeping."

"Cat's" should only be used when indicating something belonging to a single cat, while "cats'" should be used when indicating something belonging to multiple cats.

Another thing to keep in mind when reading is the context before and after in the sentence. It helps much more to figure out whether you're reading a possessive or contraction " 's " when you think about the context.

For Example:

"Sarah's car is parked in the driveway." This is an example of a possessive " 's "

"There's no time to waste; we need to leave now." This is an example of a contraction " 's "

Now I'll write some more examples; If you want too, you can comment which ones you think are possessive or contractions.

Remember, possessive refers to something that belongs to or is associated with the noun that comes before it. Contractions are when two words are put together to make a shortened form of them both.

1. The cat's whiskers are twitching with excitement.

2. He's going to the store to buy some groceries.

3. My friend's phone is ringing; she must have left it here.

4. It's a beautiful day for a walk in the park.

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The apostrophe finds its roots in ancient Greek, where it served to denote omitted letters within words. Later, its adoption into English gained momentum, particularly influenced by French printers. They introduced its use to signify the omission of sounds or syllables in words, further cementing its role in the English language.

Apostrophes often show up in shortened words, like "can't" for "cannot" or "won't" for "will not."

Now, in our current generation, even though some keyboards and texting don't always have apostrophes, they're still really important in writing to show meaning.

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As I'm only a teen girl with little knowledge on these subjects, if you're interested in learning more about punctuation, there are many books and websites that are dedicated to giving more comprehensive lessons on it!

Books: 

"The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation" By Jane Straus.

"Eats, Shoots & Leaves" By Lynne Truss

Websites:                           

Grammarly

Purdue OWL

Grammar Girl

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This will be a once a week lesson made to be short and understandable for everyone. If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask. <3