Common Grammar Mistakes: Unclear Apostrophes

One of the most common grammar mistakes people make involves using apostrophes incorrectly. Whether it's using an apostrophe to indicate possession or to form contractions, this small punctuation mark can sometimes cause confusion. In this article, we will focus on one particular mistake involving unclear apostrophes.

Mistake: Uncle Bens vs. Ben's

A common mistake that people make is incorrectly writing the rice brand "Uncle Ben's" as "Uncle Bens." The correct form, with the possessive apostrophe, is "Uncle Ben's."

For example:

• Incorrect: I love Uncle Bens rice.
• Correct: I love Uncle Ben's rice.

Explanation:

When we want to show possession or ownership, we use an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s) in English. In the case of "Uncle Ben's," the apostrophe indicates that the rice brand belongs to Uncle Ben, hence the possessive form with the apostrophe before the "s".

Linguix Grammar Checker

To avoid making this common mistake and other grammar errors, you can use the Linguix grammar checker. This handy tool will help you spot and correct apostrophe errors, punctuation mistakes, and a wide range of other grammatical issues in your writing.