Apostrophe Traps Review Handout
Grammar & Conventions • Mechanics
Apostrophe Traps: Plural vs. Possessive
Name:
Date: Period:
Exam Question Breakdown & Analysis
Correct Answer: Option B (Sentence 2)
“(1) The workers' conditions on the Transcontinental Railroad were dangerous and exhausting. (2) Crew's laid a record-breaking ten miles of track in a single day on April 28, 1869. (3) The completion of the railroad transformed people’s lives, cutting the journey from the East Coast to San Francisco from several months to just seven days...”
Sentence 1: workers'
Correct plural possessive. Multiple workers own the conditions: regular plural ends in -s, so add an apostrophe at the end.
Sentence 2: Crew's
Error! Multiple crews performed the action (laid track). It is a simple plural subject, not possessive. Write Crews.
Sentence 3: people’s
Correct irregular possessive. People is already plural without -s; to show ownership of lives, add ’s.
Quick Reference: 4 Apostrophe Rules
| Category | Rule Formula | Correct Example | Common Mistake |
|---|
| Simple Plural (No ownership) | Add -s or -es (no ’) | Three crews worked. | Three crew's worked. |
| Singular Possessive | Add ’s to the singular noun | The engineer’s plan. | The engineers plan. |
| Regular Plural Possessive | Add ’ after the final -s | The workers’ tools. | The worker's tools (for all). |
| Irregular Plural Possessive | Add ’s (men, women, children) | The people’s choice. | The peoples' choice. |
Practice: Spot & Correct the Traps
Read each sentence, circle Correct or Error, and fix any mistake.
1. Several locomotive’s arrived in Promontory Summit for the ceremony.
[ ] Correct [ ] Error
Correction / Reason:
2. Both railroads’ executives drove symbolic spikes into the final tie.
[ ] Correct [ ] Error
Correction / Reason:
3. The telegram sent word across the nation in just a few second’s.
[ ] Correct [ ] Error
Correction / Reason:
Golden Test: If the noun does not own what follows it, do not add an apostrophe. Never use an apostrophe simply to make a word plural!
