English · Original worked example
Decide whether an apostrophe shows ownership or missing letters
Distinguish plurals, possessives, and contractions. Work through an original editing example and check every answer in a fresh ACT English practice question.
Before you begin
Useful foundation: Recognize singular and plural nouns and identify who or what owns something.
Your goal: Use meaning to choose a possessive form and distinguish its from it’s.
A singular noun usually adds ’s to show possession. A regular plural ending in s adds only an apostrophe. An apostrophe can also replace missing letters in a contraction. The possessive pronoun its has no apostrophe; it’s means it is or it has.
Work through an example
Two students share a display. Complete: The [students / student’s / students’] display has lost [its / it’s] label.
- The display belongs to two students, so the owner is the plural noun “students.”
- Add an apostrophe after the plural s: “the students’ display.” “Student’s” would describe ownership by one student.
- The label belongs to the display. Choose the possessive pronoun “its.” Substituting “it is” or “it has” does not fit.
- The completed sentence is “The students’ display has lost its label.” Ownership requires different forms for a noun and a possessive pronoun.
Try a question yourself
One scientist keeps notes in a field notebook. Complete: The [scientists / scientist’s / scientists’] notebook is damp, but [its / it’s] still readable.
Choose an answer, then check your reasoning. This public practice is not saved.
Read all answer explanations
scientist’s; it’s — correct answer: Yes. “Scientist’s” shows that the notebook belongs to one scientist. “It’s still readable” means “it is still readable.”
scientists’; its: The plural possessive “scientists’” implies more than one owner, contrary to the context. “Its” also cannot replace “it is” here.
scientists; it’s: “Scientists” is a plural noun without possession. The notebook belongs to one scientist, so the first blank needs “scientist’s.”
scientist’s; its: The first form correctly marks one owner. The second blank needs the subject and verb “it is,” contracted to “it’s,” rather than the possessive “its.”
What to do next
Identify the owner and count first. For each its/it’s choice, substitute “it is” and “it has”; if neither fits and the meaning is ownership, use “its.”
Revisit the idea in a week using a different question. Repeating this example can help you understand it, but remembering its answer is not evidence of learning a new problem.
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