ACT English : Apostrophe Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
David and Denises extravagant vacation made their friends rather envious of the couple's newfound success.
David and Denises' extravagant vacation made their friends rather envious of the couple's newfound success.
David's and Denise's extravagant vacation made their friends rather envious of the couples newfound success.
David and Denise's extravagant vacation made their friends rather envious of the couple's newfound success.
NO CHANGE
David and Denise's extravagant vacation made their friends rather envious of the couple's newfound success.
When two people possess the same item (in this case, a vacation) the apostrophe is placed after the second name only. An apostrophe must also occur after couple, to demonstrate that they possess success.
Example Question #82 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Feeding your dog a well-balanced and varied diet is better for its health.
Feeding your dog a well-balanced and varied diet is better for its' health.
NO CHANGE
Feeding your dog a well-balanced and varied diet is better for its's health.
Feeding your dog a well-balanced and varied diet is better for it's health.
NO CHANGE
In this sentence, its is a personal pronoun and doesn't require an apostrophe. Other examples of personal pronouns include hers, ours, theirs, yours, whose, and oneself.
Example Question #83 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Marx wife's health insurance covered Marxs' visits to the dentist.
Marx wife's health insurance covered Marx visits to the dentist.
Marx wife's health insurance covered Marxs visits to the dentist.
Marx's wife's health insurance covered Marx's visits to the dentist.
Marx's wifes health insurance covered Marx's visits to the dentist.
NO CHANGE
Marx's wife's health insurance covered Marx's visits to the dentist.
This is a simple matter of demonstrating possession using an apostrophe. The only answer choice which is correct adds the appropriate "'s" to the name Marx. The other options all possess errors in the genitive case (modifications to nouns in order to demonstrate possession).
Example Question #81 : Apostrophe Errors
Passage adapted from Anna Karenina (1873) by Leo Tolstoy
Three days after the quarrel, Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky--Stiva, as he was called in the fashionable world--woke up at his usual hour, that is, at eight o'clock in the morning, not in his wifes bedroom, but on the leather-covered sofa in his study. He turned over his stout, well-cared-for person on the springy sofa, as though he would sink into a long sleep again; he vigorously embraced the pillow on the other side and buried his face in it; but all at once he jumped up, sat up on the sofa, and opened his eyes.
"Yes, yes, how was it now?" he thought, going over his dream. "Now, how was it? To be sure! Alabin was giving a dinner at Darmstadt; no, not Darmstadt, but something American. Yes, but then, Darmstadt was in America. Yes, Alabin was giving a dinner on glass tables, and the tables sang, Il mio tesoro--not Il mio tesoro though, but something better, and there were some sort of little decanters on the table, and they were women, too," he remembered.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
wifez
wife's
NO CHANGE
wifes'
wive's
wife's
"Wife's" is the correct choice. An apostrophe is needed before the 's' because "wife's" is a possessive noun.
Example Question #637 : Punctuation Errors
Passage adapted from Around the World in Eighty Days (1873) by Jules Verne
It would be rash to predict how Passepartout's lively nature would agree with Mr. Fogg. It was impossible to tell whether the new servant would turn out as absolutely methodical as his master required; experience alone could solve the question. Passepartout had been a sort of vagrant in his early years, and now yearned for repose; but so far he had failed to find it, though he had already served in ten English houses. But he could not take root in any of these; with chagrin, he found his masters invariably whimsical and irregular, constantly running about the country, or on the look-out for adventure. His last master, young Lord Longferry, Member of Parliament, after passing his nights in the Haymarket taverns, was too often brought home in the morning on policemens shoulders. Passepartout, desirous of respecting the gentleman whom he served, ventured a mild remonstrance on such conduct; which, being ill-received, he took his leave. Hearing that Mr. Phileas Fogg was looking for a servant, and that his life was one of unbroken regularity, that he neither travelled nor stayed from home overnight, he felt sure that this would be the place he was after. He presented himself, and was accepted, as has been seen.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
policemen's
NO CHANGE
policemanly
policemens'
policemen
policemen's
"Policemen's" is the best choice. An apostrophe is needed before the 's' to indicate possession (the shoulders are those of the policemen). "Policemens" is a completely incorrect construction; "policemen" is the correct plural construction of "policeman."
Example Question #82 : Apostrophe Errors
Select the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the sentence is correct as is, select "NO CHANGE."
It is important to protect childrens' health, because unhealthy children are more likely to be unhealthy as adults.
protect the health of childrens,
protect childs' health
protect children health,
NO CHANGE
protect children's health,
protect children's health,
Plural nouns that do not end in "s" such as children need an apostrophe before the "s" when they become possessive.
Example Question #83 : Apostrophe Errors
Select the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the sentence is correct as is, select "NO CHANGE."
Its very difficult to concentrate on the exam when the person next to you is tapping his pencil on the desk.
It's been very difficult
Its' very difficult
NO CHANGE
It would have been very difficult
It's very difficult
It's very difficult
"It's" should be in the contraction form meaning "it is" (It apostrophe "s") rather than the possessive form.
Example Question #84 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Elizabeths hats were blown away by a quick, forceful wind.
Elizabeths hats'
Elizabeth's hats'
Elizabeths' hats
Elizabeth's hats
NO CHANGE
Elizabeth's hats
"Elizabeth" is a singular noun and the hats belong to Elizabeth. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an "s." Because "hats" is plural and not showing possession, no apostrophe is necessary.
Example Question #85 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Dan and Stewart's recital was well-received by the city's most well-respected critics.
NO CHANGE
Dan and Stewarts
Dan and Stewarts's
Dans and Stewarts
Dan's and Stewart's
NO CHANGE
When two people possess the same item (in this case, "recital") the apostrophe + s are placed after the second name. No "s" is needed after the first name when singular possession is being indicated.
Example Question #86 : Apostrophe Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Where are the childrens' coats?
NO CHANGE
childs's
childrens
children's
childrens's
children's
"Children" is a plural noun. When a plural noun shows possession but does not end in s, an apostrophe + s is necessary at the end of the plural noun.
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