Search results for 'tag:Apostrophes tag:Spelling' matching tags 'Apostrophes' and 'Spelling'

Re: Plural of s = s'es?

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:05:36 GMT

Actually, the apostrophe shouldn't be placed there. It should merely be PSs - similar to the "1980s" not "1980's"
Also - the s's looks kinda weird...maybe it's meant to be like s' or something o__O; for e.g. it's meant to be "James' wallet", as opposed to "James's wallet" <--except American spelling often utilises this form

Re: Plurals of abbreviations - 1990's or 1990s

Anonymous — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:33:21 GMT

I think the p's and q's argument is most salient here. The apostrophe is used for the sake of clarity. While conventionally used for the possessive, the apostrophe is also used to indicate vernacular omissions and contractions, such as in the cases of "Ol' Dirty ***" or "N'awlins." This understadning of the usage of apostrophes is important for thinking about the 1990s/1990's problem. If you were to spell out the actual words 1990 and 1990s/1990's, you get the words "nineteen ninety" and "nineteen nineties." The difference between these two words is a "y" and an "ies." The possessive spelling of 1990's would be "nineteen ninety's," the plural, "nineteen nineties." The abbreviated representation of the possessive should clearly be 1990's, but what about the plural? One could argue that the apostrophe in this case stands for the omission of the "ie" in "nineteen nineties"

Re: Plural of s = s'es?

Pter — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:43:31 GMT

Yoong Liat
2a. There are two s's in the sentence. (The modern tendency is to add -s to pluralise a word. However, the -'s is still common. I would write s's because ss looks odd.)
2b. There are two PSs in the meeting. (I think either PSs or PS's is fine although I prefer the latter. )

Thanks again, Yoong Liat. I think this is not a matter of right or wrong, but just a matter of style. Many people still use the apostrophe. In fact, if the abbreviation has to be in lower case (I can't think of such a situation yet), I would also use the apostrophe. Therefore, I would write MPs, but mp's. I won't write mps because the s could be confused as part of the abbreviation.

Yoong Liat
In addition, how should they be pronounced? (Pronounce as in 1a and 1b)

Thanks. That's where I am confused. I thought the pronunciation need to match the spelling and therefore "es". Now I know that this is not necessary. I just checked my pronouncing dictionary and surprised to find that it lists all the pronunciations of the plurals of all the 26 alphabets. The plural of s is s's, and the pronunciation is /esiz/. I should have checked that dictionary earlier.

Yoong Liat
PS I have never seen P.SS. or p.ss. My copy of Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary does not have such an entry nor does any other dictionary I checked. (Maybe yours is not the latest edition.)

Seems that we are talking about different dictionaries instead of different versions. The name on the page you quoted does not have "Webster's". Anyway, why we need a plural for PS? A postscript is a short remark. Although it is possible that the "short" remark is not that short and may have more than one paragraph, it is still one short remark. Two paragraphs don't make it two postscripts. I was told that an additional PS added after the original PS is PPS - Post-Postscript.

Re: Will you correct my English?

khoff — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:21:17 GMT

I can't play tennis well, and I don't have a racket.

Darn it, I have to take the garbage out now.

Of course there are other ways to express these ideas, but both of these original sentences are fine.

And Anthony -- if you are going to "shout" NO NO NO !!! and "correct" things that are fine to begin with, please be careful with your own grammar and spelling. You have apostrophes where they don't belong (nobody sayÂ´s and "4 letter wordÂ´s") and have omitted one where it is necessary (so I cant play).

Re: May i please get help on emproving my english skills?

Goodman — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:15:10 GMT

Hi Anon,

As you wish... I noticed a few things obvious. Itâs more of a laziness problem than grammar. You have a habit of not applying the capitalization rule and making simple but careless spelling mistakes. Tone and structure are workable nut certainly can use some improvement. I marked it up so that you can seeâ¦.. Hope that helps

Hello everyone! I'm here in search for some help on (improving) emproving my (English) english skills including my spelling and grammar. I'm not here to search for ~~some~~ answers but mostly am ~~here~~ to (broaden) broden my vocabulary as well as my grammar. I notice that my main problem is sentence structure as well as spelling (on some words). I believe that if (I) i learn to speak more on a forum (which is) thats willing to offer constructive criticism (criticise (on) my (capital E) english which would ultimately lead to improving my self (knowledge) knowlege. So with this (cap. I) i hope for people to point me in the right direction, (not necessarily) giving me the (answers) answeres but point and criticize (what is wrong) whats wrong so (that) as (capt I) i can learn from my mistakes. (Anyway- no s) Anyways ( missing apostrophe) dont hesitate to give me feedback.

Re: Analog Vs Analogue?

Thedynamix — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 16:30:04 GMT

Okay, so "analogue" is the English spelling. Gotcha.

While you're in my thread, to save me making a new one, what is your view, or the rule, on adding an apostrophe to refer to a decade, such as "the 1960's", because I have seen it as "the 1960s" in many white papers etc.

Thanks and sorry for the bother.

Re: Proper use of apostrophe

Spides — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:55:20 GMT

I think typically this is spelled without the apostrophe--at least in schools in the US where I have worked for many years--simply because it is tedious to add the apostrophe each time the term is used. However, if this is the basketball team belonging to the Varsity Boys, the proper spelling would be "Boys'" and that spelling would be used for the occasional use outside of the school.

Proper use of apostrophe

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:25:40 GMT

What is the proper spelling of the following?

Varsity Boys Basketball

Varsity Boys' Basketball

Do I need an apostrophe?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Descriptive/Informative Essay

CodyKJV — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:17:20 GMT

My assignment is to type a Descriptive/Informative Essay. I am graded 50% on content, 40% on grammar and mechanics, and 10% on style. Could anyone read my essay and suggest some corrections? Please bold or make corrections visible. The help will be greatly appreciated.

Here are grammatical errors that I do not need to make because everyone counts off 5 points.

-Sentence fragment, comma splices, run on or fused sentences, verbal errors, tense shifts, agreement, diction, punctuation, spelling, possesive case, comma error, misuse of apostrophe and period error.

The Ultimate Fear

            For me there is no question in my mind of what I fear the most. One day He will be the most feared being by all that do not fear Him now. When He comes, the lost will stand before Him and tremble like leaves in the wind. He will come like a thief in the night, when no one is expecting. I fear Him the most because I know He holds great power. What I fear is God Almighty, the creator of the universe and the Lord of my life.
            As a Christian, I fear God because He is my heavenly father. To think about God sends chills down my back. He is the creator of the universe and also the creator of Heaven and Hell. God has always existed. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Often people cannot comprehend that God has always existed. This is because people live in a world of time. Explaining God to an unbeliever is like explaining a math equation to a dead person. The only way a person can come to believe and fear God is by the Holy Spirit. Fearing God is the beginning of knowledge and truth.
            Like my earthly father, God chastises me when I sin against Him. I remember when I was a little child, I broke my fatherâs garage window. My father came outside

Watters 2

to discover the broken glass. He found me and began to yell, letting me know that I had done wrong. I ran from him, but he finally caught me and gave me the punishment I deserved. My father punished me because of his love for me. This also applies with my heavenly father. When I sin against God, conviction hits me like a truck. I then know that I have done wrong. God will punish me for my sins because of His unexplainable love. Godâs love is far greater than even a motherâs love for her only child. I know that I am the apple of Godâs eye, but I also know that His reprimanding hand will keep me where I need to be in life.   I can run as fast as the speed of light and hide like a word in a crossword puzzle. However, God will find me and give me the punishment for my sins. He has His eye on me like a hawk.
            The fear that unbelievers will face will be tremendous. The lost will stand before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Unbelievers will be on their knees like beggars begging for money. When God came before He showed love, but the next time He comes, He will pour His wrath on all that denied His Holy name. God is love, but because He is love, He is also just. A just God cannot overlook sin. Those who do not believe will not be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. The lost will stand before a Holy and Righteous God and be naked in sin before His eyes. God will say to the lost, "I never knew ye," and the lost will be cast down in a pit of fire. The pit of fire will be hotter than a burning furnace. The pain will last forever and ever. There is no water in Hell to cool the tongue. To be in Hell is to be absent from all love. This is why people should fear God now. To escape His wrath is to fear Him now.

Watters 3

Ultimately, I fear the wrath of God. I know that this fear will save me from an everlasting Hell when I die. Like a shepherd, God leads and guides me through my life. When I disobey His Word, He uses His staff to pull me back where I need to be in life. The fear of God is unappreciated like an underrated film that does not show in movie theaters. Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only light, and no one will enter the gates of Heaven without the fear of God Almighty.

"...has a few gray hairs."

Peaceblinkfriend — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 13:59:58 GMT

Hi all,

The mistaken impression that till is a clipped form also has a few gray hairs. People started spelling it with an apostrophe in the 18th century, indicating they believed it to be a shortened form of until.

What does 'a few gray hairs' mean in this sentence?

Thank you.

Best wishes,

PBF