Misplaced apostrophes

If you’re presently in the process of learning English, and you’re struggling to get to grips with grammar, don’t take it to heart. Many English speakers make frequent English slip-ups that bring on the wrath of the UK’s grammar pedants, and it’s mainly because they weren’t taught properly at school.

But for you, help is at hand. For example, do you know how to use apostrophes? Apostrophes aren’t difficult to use once you know how, but putting them in the wrong place is one of the most common grammar mistakes in the English language. Many people use an apostrophe to form the plural of a word, particularly if the word in question ends in a vowel, which might make the word look strange with an 'S' added to make it plural.

Apostrophes indicate possession something belonging to something or someone else. To indicate something belonging to one person, the apostrophe goes before the ‘s’. For instance, “The girl’s horse.” To indicate something belonging to more than one person, put the apostrophe after the ‘s’. For example, “The girls’ horse.” Apostrophes are also used to indicate a contracted word.

For example, “don’t” use an apostrophe to indicate that the word is missing the “o” from “do not”. Apostrophes are never used to make a word plural, even when a word is in number form, as in a date.

Small Talk:
Laid up in the hospital !
Tarun How are you feeling?
Varun OK. Sorry I can’t come to the function tonight.
Tarun Don’t be silly. You’re laid up in the hospital.
Varun I just wish I could be there.
Tarun You just worry about getting better!
Varun All right. Tell everyone I said hi.

Notes:
sick in bed, ill and confined to bed

Example:
I was laid up for a week with the high fever.

By Dr Vangeepuram Sreenathachary