Apostrophe question

[GinaPagnato]

For signing off on a birthday card, is it:

 

Love,

The Smiths

 

-or-

 

Love,

The Smith's

 

 

I see both, and I used to think it was The Smiths, because it just indicated plural, as in , there are more than one of us. But I so often see The Smith's. Which is it?

[Belacqua]

First one (Smiths). A bunch of people named Smith. The other indicates a possessive (belonging to the smith), which you don't want here.

 

So your instincts were good. :)

[Wilma]

No apostrophe. It's neither possessive nor a contraction. So, no.

[Wilma]

dp

[Word Nerd]

I see The Smith's frequently, but the apostrophe is still wrong. The Smiths is correct.

[ThisIsTheDay]

I always cringe when I see "The Smith's." I think, yikes, this is how you sign your FAMILY's name??!

 

One of my children is very naughty. His comment would be, "The Smith's what?"

[unsinkable]

There is a light that never goes out...

[Word Nerd]

I always cringe when I see "The Smith's." I think, yikes, this is how you sign your FAMILY's name??!

 

One of my children is very naughty. His comment would be, "The Smith's what?"

 

And who is this Smith character? 

[Belacqua]

This is making me laugh because our shared driveway has a sign for our neighbors that reads The Smith's. I'm not using that name as a generic substitute; it literally says The Smith's. I've been so tempted to fill in the apostrophe with wood putty (and if they weren't such nice neighbors I might just yield to that temptation; the sign is technically on our yard, so...).

[jhschool]

This is making me laugh because our shared driveway has a sign for our neighbors that reads The Smith's. I'm not using that name as a generic substitute; it literally says The Smith's. I've been so tempted to fill in the apostrophe with wood putty (and if they weren't such nice neighbors I might just yield to that temptation; the sign is technically on our yard, so...).

Fill it in anyway.  If they are such nice neighbors why would you let them make

fools of themselves like that?

 

But do it at night.

[Momof3littles]

We have a sign up locally right now on a storefront that says:

 

Mattress' For Sale. 

 

That's quite a choice.  Someone was trying to hedge their bets and just totally failed?

[Hyacinth]

The Smith's in front of the driveway doesn't bother me as much. My brain would justify it as "The Smith's house. The Smith's driveway." Lol

 

What drives me nuts is why do we put ' in places like "He got all A's." I complained about this when I worked at a newspaper and the editor told me that's how they do it. I will never understand.

 

That one is actually a bit more acceptable. Some style manuals, such as Chicago and AP, recommend inserting an apostrophe to make single letters plural. Otherwise it would look like the word As.

 

(I still don't like it, mind you, but I'm not going to fight it with the same vigor I will defend the serial comma.)

[Belacqua]

That one is actually a bit more acceptable. Some style manuals, such as Chicago and AP, recommend inserting an apostrophe to make single letters plural. Otherwise it would look like the word As.

 

(I still don't like it, mind you, but I'm not going to fight it with the same vigor I will defend the serial comma.)

 

Ooh, are you an Oxford Comma Warrior, too? We need a secret signal, I think.

[Momof3littles]

That one is actually a bit more acceptable. Some style manuals, such as Chicago and AP, recommend inserting an apostrophe to make single letters plural. Otherwise it would look like the word As.

 

(I still don't like it, mind you, but I'm not going to fight it with the same vigor I will defend the serial comma.)

 

.

Is it true of non single letters also?  I always default to no apostrophe and then doubt myself.  I see things like CD's regularly, for example.  Correct or incorrect? This one still baffles me because either way I am certain I am doing it wrong.

[Mrs Mungo]

The Smiths is correct. You could also say, "The Smith Family."

 

See my signature line. Click on the link there. Here is the link for those on mobile who can't see my sig line:

 

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

 

Get the poster for your kids. Don't be a party to kittencide. ;)

 

On a similar note? Possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, yours, mine, ours-none of them receive apostrophes. 

 

Is it true of non single letters also?  I always default to no apostrophe and then doubt myself.  I see things like CD's regularly, for example.  Correct or incorrect? This one still baffles me because either way I am certain I am doing it wrong.

 

This is a style issue. Some style books suggest apostrophe use while others suggest no apostrophe. The key here is to be consistent (although the trend is toward leaving off the apostrophe, unless it would be confusing without it). 

 

Grammar Girl addresses more common apostrophe mistakes in her columns:
 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophe-catastrophe-part-one

 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophe-catastrophe-part-two

 

 

[Word Nerd]

We have a sign up locally right now on a storefront that says:

 

Mattress' For Sale. 

 

That's quite a choice.  Someone was trying to hedge their bets and just totally failed?

 

I saw its' in an ebook recently. My eye almost twitched right out of my head.

[Ellie]

The Smith's in front of the driveway doesn't bother me as much. My brain would justify it as "The Smith's house. The Smith's driveway." Lol

 

What drives me nuts is why do we put ' in places like "He got all A's." I complained about this when I worked at a newspaper and the editor told me that's how they do it. I will never understand.

 

We do it so that there won't be confusion. Without the apostrophe, it would be, "He got all As." See? All English grammar handbooks agree. :-)

[Momof3littles]

The Smiths is correct. You could also say, "The Smith Family."

 

See my signature line. Click on the link there. Here is the link for those on mobile who can't see my sig line:

 

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

 

Get the poster for your kids. Don't be a party to kittencide. ;)

 

On a similar note? Possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, yours, mine, ours-none of them receive apostrophes. 

 

 

This is a style issue. Some style books suggest apostrophe use while others suggest no apostrophe. The key here is to be consistent (although the trend is toward leaving off the apostrophe, unless it would be confusing without it). 

 

Grammar Girl addresses more common apostrophe mistakes in her columns:

 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophe-catastrophe-part-one

 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/apostrophe-catastrophe-part-two

Thank you!!!  I always assume no apostrophe for things like CDs, but I've seen the apostrophe many times in places where I assume it has been properly edited.  It has always bothered me, as I was never certain on the rule. The last time I bothered to check, I was having a tough time finding a solid answer, but that was years ago.