Queens v Queen's v Queens'



My husband and I would like to talk to you for a moment about s, 's and s' - grammatical constructions that sound alike but mean something quite different.

Note, for example, the following differences: 

Queens  = two or more female monarchs

Queen's = something belonging to one female monarch, or the Queen is or the Queen has

Queens' = something belonging to two or more female monarchs

s

• Most English words simply require an appended s to become plural (such as two queens). With only two or three score annoying exceptions (such as corn, sheep and men) this principle applies to virtually all nouns and pronouns. Irregular nouns, like irregular bowels, are difficult to discuss, so We won't.
• Most words already ending in s simply require an appended es to become plural (such as two princesses).
• Some companies advise writers to use an appended s to pluralize initialisms (such as all ABMs, both PIFs) and numbers (such as 90s).

's & s'

• Add apostrophe s ('s) to most singular nouns and pronouns to mean something belonging to one person or thing  (ACME's policy, today's schedule, …).
• Add an apostrophe (') to most nouns and pronouns pluralized with an s to mean something(s) belonging to more than one person or thing (managers' perks, timesheets' totals, …).

Its and it's

• Use its to indicate possession, as in the dollar continues its stellar performance.
• Use it's as a contraction of it is (or it was), as in It's raining men.

Rules of thumb

• For most nouns and pronouns, add s to mean more than one.
• For most nouns and pronouns ending with an s, add es to mean more than one.
• For most singular nouns and pronouns, add apostrophe s ('s) to mean something belonging to one person or thing.
• For most plural nouns and pronouns already ending with an s, add an apostrophe (') to mean something(s) belonging to more than one person or thing.

Thank you for your time and attention.


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