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what is the difference between a comma and an apostrophe

by Cyrus McKenzie Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Key difference: The appearance of both, the comma and the apostrophe are the same but they differ in function and position. A comma provides a link, whereas, an apostrophe explains the ownership or direct relationship between the subject and the object. The word comma originates from the Greek word komma.

Comma presents continuity within a sentence, while apostrophe shows possession. It's important to remember these concepts to use them properly. You can't use an apostrophe out of the blue, or a comma even if it isn't in the right way. Familiarizing yourself with grammar will help you improve writing in English.

Full Answer

Does a comma go inside or outside an apostrophe?

Punctuation—Quotation Marks and Apostrophes. Summary: These resources provide guidelines for using punctuation in your writing. ... As you can see in the examples above, when a comma or period comes at the end of a pair of quotation marks, it goes inside the marks, not outside. However, if you are using quotation marks for a special word or ...

Do you use a semi-colon or a comma?

Semicolons help you connect closely related ideas when a style mark stronger than a comma is needed. By using semicolons effectively, you can make your writing sound more sophisticated. A semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought.

What are the two reasons we use an apostrophe?

Where do we use apostrophes?

  • Use an apostrophe +”s” (‘s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something.
  • Use an apostrophe after the “s” (s’) at the end of a plural noun to show possession.
  • If a plural noun doesn’t end in “s,” add an apostrophe + “s” to create the possessive form.

What are the 5 examples of apostrophe?

  • “Oh, coffee, my sweet dark coffee. What would I do without you?”
  • “Please, please clouds. Don’t rain today.”
  • “Let Hades come to me and swallow me whole.”
  • “Why do you have to be such a pain, math?”
  • “Shoes, my beautiful new shoes. You’ll look great with my black plaid skirt.”

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What is an apostrophe example?

A few apostrophe examples below: I am – I'm: “I'm planning to write a book someday.” You are – You're: “You're going to have a lot of fun with your new puppy.” She is – She's: “She's always on time.” It is – It's: “I can't believe it's snowing again.”

How do you know when to use an apostrophe?

The apostrophe is used to indicate possessive case, contractions, and omitted letters. The apostrophe is not strictly a punctuation mark, but more a part of a word to indicate possessive case, contractions, or omitted letters.

What comes first comma or apostrophe?

When a comma is required directly after a word, it should be placed after the apostrophe, whatever the circumstance. Some writers, particularly in the case of possessive plurals, make the mistake of putting the comma prior to the apostrophe, as follows: Unlike the other horses,' his hooves had recently been re-shoed.

What are the 2 rules for apostrophe?

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to create a contraction or to show possession.Use an apostrophe when two words are shortened into one. ... Use an apostrophe when showing possession. ... Do not create a double or triple “s” when adding an apostrophe. ... Do not use an apostrophe with pronouns to show possession.More items...

What are the 2 types of apostrophes?

There are two different kinds of apostrophes: smart and straight. To use them correctly, it helps to know how they work. Smart apostrophes, also known as curly or typographer's apostrophes, are the professional-looking marks preferred by most publishers.

Is it Chris's or Chris?

Which is correct, Chris's chair or Chris' chair? James's car or James' car? Actually, both ways are correct. If a proper name ends with an s, you can add just the apostrophe or an apostrophe and an s.

What are commas examples?

Example: I went to the store to buy milk, eggs, and bread. or I went to the store to buy milk, eggs and bread. Either way is acceptable if meaning is clear, but be consistent with the pattern you choose.

Do commas go inside apostrophes?

In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said.

When to use a comma at the end of a quote?

1. The final period or comma goes inside the quotation marks, even if it is not a part of the quoted material, unless the quotation is followed by a citation. If a citation in parentheses follows the quotation, the period follows the citation.

How do you explain an apostrophe to a child?

0:545:08Apostrophe | Grammar For Kids | Periwinkle - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt is called an apostrophe. And s a noun can show what it owns or possesses. We add an apostrophe sMoreIt is called an apostrophe. And s a noun can show what it owns or possesses. We add an apostrophe s to a noun to show ownership. A noun that shows ownership or relationship is a possessive noun.

Is it Thomas's or Thomas?

Both Thomas's or Thomas' are correct. There are several different style guides for writing the English language. When you follow the rules of The Associated Press Stylebook, Thomas' is correct. With all other style guides, Thomas's is correct.

Where do you put the possessive apostrophe?

An apostrophe is used in a possessive form, like Esther's family or Janet's cigarettes, and this is the use of the apostrophe which causes most of the trouble. The basic rule is simple enough: a possessive form is spelled with 's at the end. Hence: Lisa's essay.

What does an apostrophe mean in English?

In English, the apostrophe is used to mark the possessive or to show the omission of letters or numbers.

What is a comma in Greek?

In Ancient Greek rhetoric a comma (?????) is a short clause, something less than a colon, originally denoted by comma marks. In antiquity comma was defined as a combination of words that has no more than eight syllables. This term is later applied to longer phrases, e.g. the Johannine comma.

What does the "mark" mean in punctuation?

Punctuation]] mark ( [ ) (usually indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or between elements in a list).

Is a comma a punctuation mark?

is that comma is punctuation ]] mark ( [ ) (usually indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or between elements in a list) while apostrophe is (orthography) the text character , which serves as a punctuation mark in various languages and as a diacritical mark in certain rare contexts or apostrophe can be (rhetoric) a sudden exclamatory piece of dialogue addressed to someone or something, especially absent.

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About this unit

Commas are the superheroes of punctuation! They can perform many different functions. Apostrophes are most often used to stand in for missing letters or to show possession. In the rarest of cases, they can be used to form plurals. Let's learn more!

When to use double quotation marks?

The rule here is simple – the double quotation mark is used for any dialogue or speech, and whenever quoting from a text.

Do you put a comma before "and"?

Whilst they can be very handy for breaking up long sentences, there are certain places in your writing where commas don’t belong. The biggest mistake of this kind is putting a comma before the word ‘and’. As the word acts as a natural bridge between two parts of a clause or sentence, there is almost never a need for a comma before it. This is one of those tricky grey areas of grammar where some authorities believe a comma is outright wrong, others that it is allowable. So my best advice would be to stay on the safe side by avoiding it where possible.

Can punctuation be avoided?

Another very common punctuation mistake that can be easily avoided is forgetting the punctuation at the end of a person’s speech. Just remember, even if it feels as if the sentence flows straight on, even if the person is going to speak again in the same sentence, correct grammar use dictates that you must use a punctuation mark every time you close speech marks.

Can you use "which" without a comma?

It is also possible to use the word ‘which’ without a comma in a restrictive sentence when it is referring to a specific object.

Do you need a comma in an atom?

For example, a comma is necessary here: “Electrons, protons and neutrons make up the atom, which is the smallest part of an element”. But NOT here: “Electrons, protons and neutrons are the three types of particle that make up an atom”.

How to use compound possessive nouns?

Compound possessive nouns can be used one of two ways. Where the apostrophe is can change the meaning. If the two nouns are acting together as one unit, the apostrophe goes with the last noun, but if the two nouns are acting separately, there needs to be an apostrophe with each noun. For example: Joe and Jane’s houses are blue. This means the houses are all owned by Joe and Jane together, and they are all blue. However, if it is said that Joe’s and Jane’s houses are blue, then Joe and Jane do not own the houses together. Separately they both happen to have blue houses.

What is possessive noun?

A possessive noun shows ownership, or that something belongs to the noun. The basic possessive form of a noun is made by adding –‘s if the word is singular, or –s’ if the word is plural. This is fairly simple in most cases. For example: The dog’s house was in the yard. The dogs’ house was in the garden.

What does it mean when a word ends in an S?

When a word ends in an s, such as Charles, some people do not add another –s. For example: Charles’ house. This means the house belongs to Charles, and it is understood to be singular. This can also apply to words that end in –ss, such as boss. For example: The boss’ house is next door.

Is it a possessive or possessive to put an apostrophe before or after a s?

However, the difference between putting the apostrophe before the -s or after the -s changes the meaning and usage of the word. There are also some exceptions and other things to keep in mind when making a noun possessive. A possessive noun shows ownership, or that something belongs to the noun.

What does an apostrophe do?

It has just two basic uses: to fill in for an omitted letter or letters, and to make a word possessive. Contrary to popular belief, the apostrophe doesn’t make plurals, and it doesn’t automatically slide in front of the final letter of any word that happens to end in ‘s’…

How to put an apostrophe at the beginning of a word?

And if you’re on a Mac and you want a real apostrophe at the beginning of a word, here’s how to do it: option + shift + ] . Try it: it works.

When to use apostrophes in possessive?

Now to its possessive use: when something or someone “has” an object (or that object is “of” them), you just add an apostrophe plus an ‘s’: “David has a hat. So that’s David’s hat?* Yes, that hat’s David’s hat.” And if that possessive something or someone is plural**, we add the apostrophe after the plural ‘s’ and we don’t add the extra ‘s’: “At the We’re Called David conference, when the wine flows all the Davids’ tongues start to wag.”

What is the most misused punctuation mark in the English language?

It’s unquestionably the most misused punctuation mark in the English language — so much so that its errant form has its own nickname: “the greengrocer’s apostrophe” (and that’s from widespread abuse on signage by guilty tradesmen). Orange’s and lemon’s: says who?

Where does the word "catastrophe" come from?

Catastrophe and apostrophe derive from Greek words. So do acne, psyche and epitome . Recipe is Latin in origin; furore is Italian (although Americans choose not to pronounce the final ‘e’, as their British counterparts generally do). Daphne, Penelope, and Aphrodite (all Greek names) would sound mighty strange as “DAPH-uhn”, PEN-uh-lope” or “AF-ro-dite”. It’s not just the French who get to sound their final ‘e’s, even though they have the acute accents to help them along. So enjoy talking Greek.

Do you need an apostrophe for "It's" or "It's"?

Its or it’s? Simple: if you can replace the word in question with “it is” (i.e. the apostrophe takes the place of the dropped ‘i’) and it still makes sense, then you need an apostrophe. If not, you don’t. It’s not difficult. An apostrophe knows its place.

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What Is A Comma?

  • Comma is derived from the Greek word that means “cut-off piece” or a “short clause”. It’s the greatest superheroes of punctuation! They can do a variety of things. These punctuations are lauded for their significant contribution in sentences. Commas and periods should almost always precede closing quotation marks after the words. “Like this,” instead of “like that.” Although this t…
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What Is An Apostrophe?

  • On the other hand, apostrophes either depict possession or contraction. Most people get confused in which rule to follow using this mark. Should it be used for possessive or contraction purposes? The answer is, it can be for both. If you mark a word with this, it then becomes a word that expresses ownership. However, some people confuse an apostrophe with a single quote m…
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Comma vs Apostrophe

  • When punctuating with a comma, the comma goes before the word with the comma. An apostrophe, on the other hand, indicates that a letter is in place of, that is, replacing the word with the apostrophe. A comma is used to indicate a pause, a short break where the thoughts of the speaker can halt momentarily. Meanwhile, an apostrophe makes comparisons...
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A Single Quote Mark Is Used to Cite A Certain Statement Made by A person.

  • Example: He then wrote the man a letter as he found out his Colon cancer. “I already told your children when they went to my place to ‘stay beside your father at all times’. I told them this could bring you the best emotional support.” Meanwhile, for an apostrophe, you have a rule to observe. If the word is singular and doesn’t end with an s, add the mark before the ‘s’. Example: The club’…
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