Why The Stylebook?
Quickest and most thorough access to specific writing and grammar issues.
Compare entries for “Apostrophe” in these fine handbooks. |
||||
The Cooper Hill Stylebook | MLA Handbook (Research Paper) | The St. Martin’s Handbook | Writing & Thinking | The Bedford Handbook |
Apostrophe* | apostrophe** | Apostrophes*** | Apostrophe**** | Apostrophes***** |
for contractions | for contractions | 6 entries † | to form possessive | 4 entries† |
for omitted number | for plurals of letters | to indicate joint possession | ||
for pluralizing | for possessives | to show omission | ||
abbreviations | with proper nouns | to form plurals | ||
letters | omitted in business | |||
numbers | titles & geographic names | |||
signs | ||||
words used as words | ||||
for possessives | ||||
of common nouns | ||||
of compound nouns | ||||
of joint property | ||||
of proper nouns | ||||
functions of | ||||
in formal writing | ||||
placement with -s or -x endings | ||||
to avoid sibilance |
* 3rd edition, p. 510
** 5th edition, p. 297
*** 7th edition, p. 921
† permission denied for display of actual material
**** expanded edition, pp. 435-36
*****9th edition, p. Index 5