apostrophe

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (’) used primarily to show possession or to form contractions. When indicating ownership, it combines with a noun to show that something belongs to someone or something (e.g., Sarah’s book). In contractions, it replaces omitted letters to make words shorter (e.g., don’t for do not). The apostrophe helps clarify meaning and maintain proper grammar by succinctly combining words or showing relationships. Proper use ensures your writing is clear and grammatically correct, making communication more effective.