As a copy editor, one of the most common mistakes I come across is the misuse of contracted apostrophes. These tiny punctuation marks can make all the difference in how a sentence is read and understood. So what exactly is a contracted apostrophe?
A contracted apostrophe is a type of apostrophe used to replace one or more letters in a word or phrase. The most common use of a contracted apostrophe is to indicate the omission of a letter or letters in a contraction. For example, “don`t” is a contraction of “do not,” and the apostrophe represents the omitted “o.”
Another use of a contracted apostrophe is to indicate possession. For example, “John`s car” indicates that the car belongs to John. In this case, the apostrophe represents the omitted letters “h” and “i” in “John his car.”
It`s important to note that contracted apostrophes are not used to make words plural. This is a common mistake, but in fact, adding an apostrophe to a word simply to make it plural is incorrect. For example, “apple`s” should never be used to indicate multiple apples. The correct way to make a word plural is to simply add an “s” at the end.
In addition to its grammatical uses, a contracted apostrophe can also be used in SEO (search engine optimization). When creating content for a website or blog, it`s important to include relevant keywords to improve search engine rankings. However, overusing keywords can actually lower rankings and be seen as spammy. One way to avoid this is to use contracted apostrophes in keyword phrases. For example, instead of using the phrase “best hotels in Paris,” which may be seen as over-optimized, you could use “best hotels in Pari`s” to indicate a possessive form of the name “Paris.”
In conclusion, a contracted apostrophe is a useful punctuation mark that can indicate the omission of letters or indicate possession. It should not be used to make words plural, but can be used strategically in SEO to avoid over-optimization. As a copy editor, it`s important to ensure that contracted apostrophes are used correctly to improve the clarity and readability of your writing.