Apostrophes

It’s tiny but powerful.

Its incorrect insertion could mean the difference between life and death.

Rabbit's die on a table…Rabbits die on a table.

And it’s fighting for its very existence.

I’m referring to the apostrophe; specifically, the possessive apostrophe.

Even its proper name – saxon genitive – sounds more like a sexually transmitted disease than the pinnacle of punctuation.

Latest 2 of 41 comments

View all comments
 
  • DK says:

    07:47pm | 21/07/09

    Sorry ‘Jeff from Meroo’ (30 June 2009) but, as I’ve discovered, punctuation (and those of us who love its correct use) can be a dangerous thing. For example, your reference to ‘a internet’ should read ‘an internet’ (am I wrong about this?). I also don’t think you needed to use… Read more »

  • bee says:

    07:47pm | 02/07/09

    Re: Bernie’s “Bayonet or screw” remark posted earlier above: How odd - they’re the same options I was given my good lady wife when I switched on the bedroom telly last night to watch Lleyton at Wimbledon . . . Read more »

 

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Paul Colgan

@MClarke23 nip out of camp to help out Warney? Now that would cause some chaos

Lucy Kippist

@SimonThomsen LOL you can try!

Lucy Kippist

Don't bring your children and other "rules" of supermarket shopping. Got a gripe or two of your own? Add to my list: http://bit.ly/dBWydm

Lucy Kippist

What voters really think of Tony Abbott, great piece by Nic Christensen & Tina Tek: http://bit.ly/bvLWSz#thepunch

Gentle jabs to the ribs

Breaking news: Something is going on

Breaking news: Something is going on

Is this the greatest ever send-up of 24-hour news? Warning: contains strong language and hilarity. From… Read more

10 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter