Home
>
Writing
>
Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of Good English, and How to Impress a Publisher (3)

Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of Good English, and How to Impress a Publisher (3)

A well-punctuated approach letter may make the difference between acceptance and rejection by a publisher's commissioning editor. In this article, I'll look at just one small, but often bothersome, piece of punctuation: the apostrophe.

One of the biggest problems that writers face when it comes to punctuation concerns this seemingly insignificant little squiggle. This article will show you how easy it is to use, for the rules are few and simple.

When I edit books for print publishers, I find that the apostrophe is one of the most niggling problems for writers when it comes to punctuation. It needn't be such a challenge, and, when you've read this short article, you'll probably wonder what all the fuss is about.

There are many useful punctuation and grammar tips in a downloadable book I co-wrote on how you can get yourself published very quickly, You Can Write Books (at www.youcanwritebooks.com), although its main focus is on how to get your work before a publisher. Here, however, I'll deal with this one, potentially trying, little fella.

There are jokes about the so-called "greengrocer's apostrophe." That happens when one of these little tadpole's appear's in word's in which it is not supposed to appear -- as it did in three words in this sentence (you spotted them!). It's called the greengrocer's apostrophe because you often see handwritten signs saying, "pea's ..." and then the price per pound or kilo, or "carrot's ..." or "potato's ..."

So, if it's a simple plural, don't use an apostrophe.

You'll have seen it used as it is in less formal writing in this article so far: in words such as it's and you'll. It's been used where there's a missing letter: you'll is short for you will, for instance; there's is short for there is.

The apostrophe's biggest use, though, as I'm sure you know, is for possessives. These are simply words that indicate possession (they're also called genitives). But here many writers run into problems.

If you want to show that a book belongs to Joe or Jane, you write "Joe's book" or "Jane's book." If that car belongs to that guy over there, you write "that man's car." If a hat belongs to a boy, you write "the boy's hat."

I'm probably not telling you much you don't know, but where many writers come unstuck is when they get a plural, and they want to make it a possessive. What if there are two or three boys? Simple, you move the apostrophe to after the s: "the boys' hats."

So you'd write "the mens' cars," right? Er, no. This is where the complication begins, but I'll give you one simple rule and, if you remember only this, you won't go far wrong. The rule is: if the plural ends with s, put the apostrophe after the s. That's all you need to remember, because, if the plural doesn't end with s, then, quite simply, you don't put the apostrophe after the s: you leave it before the s.

Words such as sheep, cattle, men, women, children, and people are plurals, but they don't end with s. So leave the apostrophe where it was for the singular: sheep's, as in "that sheep's fleece", becomes ... well, sheep's, as in "those sheep's fleeces". Don't write "those sheeps' fleeces." Similarly, write "the cattle's drinking trough."

You often see captions or headlines in catalogues or signs in shop windows saying "childrens' wear" or "womens' fashions." At least they've bothered to use the apostrophe, so let's give them two marks out of ten. However, the plural of child or woman isn't made by adding an s, so write children's and women's.

I have a final word of warning, though, on a small word that traps many writers. You'll have seen the word it's used a lot in this article. It's short for it is, of course. Although we use apostrophes to indicate possession, it is an exception: the possessive is its. Write down this sentence and use it as a mnemonic: "It's good in its way."

Who said the apostrophe was difficult? It isn't. Just keep this article handy, and you'll never have a bad-apostrophe day again.

Andrew John is co-author of You Can Write Books, a no-nonsense downloadable book from http://www.youcanwritebooks.com that will get you into print if you follow its advice. He and his co-author, Stephen Blake, have written more than a dozen print titles (details on http://www.youcanwritebooks.com). Both are writers and editors, and You Can Write Books is crammed with advice you can trust.

post construction cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of Good English, and How to Impress a Publisher (3)

Writing