Common Mistakes: Extraneous Apostrophes before "are"

One of the most common grammar mistakes people make is placing an apostrophe before the word "are" when they are trying to form the plural of a noun.

This mistake often occurs when people are unsure about the correct use of apostrophes. While apostrophes are primarily used to indicate possession or contraction, they should never be used to form the plural of a noun.

The Correct Use of Apostrophes

To better understand this common mistake, let's take a look at the correct use of apostrophes:

• Possessive Nouns: Apostrophes should be used to indicate ownership or possession. For example, "The dog's bone" shows that the bone belongs to the dog.
• Contractions: Apostrophes are used to combine words and show omission. For example, "They're" is a contraction of "they are."

Avoid Extraneous Apostrophes

Now, let's focus on the common mistake of using apostrophes before "are" to form plurals:

• Incorrect: I have two apple's.
• Correct: I have two apples.

In the incorrect example, the apostrophe is unnecessary and actually changes the meaning of the sentence. It implies that the apple owns or possesses something, which is not the intended meaning.

To avoid this mistake, remember that apostrophes are not used to form plurals. Simply add an "s" to the noun to indicate more than one.

Linguix Grammar Checker

If you're unsure about your apostrophe usage or want to eliminate common grammar mistakes, you can utilize the Linguix grammar checker. It provides real-time suggestions and corrections, ensuring your writing is clear, concise, and error-free.