Apostrophes and Quotation Marks: Apply It

  • Demonstrate how to use apostrophes to show possession
  • Demonstrate how to use apostrophes in contractions
  • Demonstrate the correct use of quotation marks

The best way to understand how apostrophes and quotation marks work in different types of sentences is to practice! Below, you’ll find practice for using apostrophes and quotation marks properly.

Practice Using Apostrophes

There are two major uses of apostrophes:

  • To show possession:
    • Add ’s to singular nouns to indicate possession.
    • Add ’ to plural nouns that already end in s.
    • Add ’s to plural nouns that do not end in s.
    • Use the “of” test to check whether an apostrophe is needed for possession.
  • To form contractions:
    • Use apostrophes to replace missing letters in contractions.
    • Common contractions include forms of to be, will, have, and not.

Practice Using Quotation Marks

There are a few different uses for quotation marks:

  • Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotations—the exact words from a source or speaker.
  • Use quotation marks to reproduce exact speech, not summarized or paraphrased speech.
  • Use scare quotes to signal irony, skepticism, or non-standard usage—use sparingly.
  • Use quotation marks for titles of short works, such as articles, poems, short stories, chapters, and songs.

You also have to pay attention to proper punctuation when using quotation marks:

  • Place a comma before a direct quote when introducing it with a phrase like he said, she asked, or they wrote.
  • Place periods and commas inside the closing quotation mark.
  • Place colons, semicolons, and dashes outside the closing quotation mark, unless part of the quoted material.
  • Place question marks and exclamation points inside if they are part of the quoted material, and outside if they apply to the whole sentence.