SAT Writing : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing
All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #54 : Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
The carefully prepared plan eventually came to nothing after it's leaders were discovered.
its leaders
its leaders'
it's leaders
its leader's
it's leader's
its leaders
The underlined portion of the sentence has a simple, but common, grammatical error. The form "it's" can only be used for the contraction of "it is," and not for the possesive of "it"; therefore, the correct answer is "its leaders."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Monarch's in the Middle Ages had virtually unlimited power over their subjects.
Monarchs, the Middle Ages,
Monarch's in the Middle Ages
Monarchs in the Middle Ages
Monarch's Middle Ages
Monarch in the Middle Ages
Monarchs in the Middle Ages
The subject of the sentence, "Monarchs," is written in the underlined portion as a possessive noun. Problematically, the word is not possessing anything in the sentence, and is instead being used as a plural subject. The proper correction is to make the word a simple plural, making "Monarchs in the Middle Ages" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #631 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Many people questioned the mans motives, as he never explained his actions in public.
the mans motives,
the man's motives,
the man motives
the man's motives',
the men motives
the man's motives,
The use of "mans" in the sentence is actually the plural form without the proper use of the apostrophe to show a plural. The correct form is actually "man's," making "the man's motives," the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Certain people have quite a bit of difficulty in distinguishing color's from each other.
in distinguishing colors' from each other.
in distinguishing colors, from each other.
in distinguishing colors from each other.
in distinguishing colors from another.
in distinguishing color's from each other.
in distinguishing colors from each other.
The use of "color's" indicates a possesive, which is not the correct usage in the construction of the sentence. The phrase each other means that the plural form should be used; therefore, "in distinguishing colors from each other," is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Athlete's popularity in high school is a profound feature of the American educational system.
Athletes popularity
Athletes' popularities
Athletes' popularity
Athlete's popularities
Athlete's popularity
Athletes' popularity
The form "Athlete's" is incorrect in the sentence because the construction, with a lack of articles preceeding it, indicates a plural form. "Athlete's" is the singular possesive form, but the sentence requires the plural possessive "Athletes'" and the singular "popularity."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Hardly any of the senators had even heard of the issue before the committee held it's meeting.
before the committee held its meeting.
before the committee holds it's meeting.
before the committee held it's meeting.
before that committee held it's meeting.
before a committee held it's meeting.
before the committee held its meeting.
The use of "it's" is only correct when "it's" is being used as the contraction of "it is." "Its" is the word to use when you need the possessive form of "it," as in this sentence. Thus, the correct answer choice is "before the committee held its meeting."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The unrealistic assumptions caused the teams fans to expect more than the team could actually achieve.
caused the teams fans'
causing the teams fans'
caused the teams fans
causing the teams fans
caused the team's fans
caused the team's fans
The only issue with the sentence as it is written is that the word "teams" should be a possesive, when it is written as a simple plural. The word needs to be changed to "team's," making "caused the team's fans" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Under the terms of the contract, the company had to pay the fired employee six months salary.
six months salary.
six month of salary.
six months' salary.
six months salaries.
six month's salary.
six months' salary.
The construction of "six months salary" is incorrect, as it refers to the salary of six months, and therefore needs a possesive form. The only answer that contains the correct (plural) possessive form is "six months' salary."
Example Question #4 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing that a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants to see is one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail.
The last thing a teacher wants, is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail.
In the sentence, "student's" is written as a possesive, when it actually is functioning as a simple plural noun. The only change that needs to be made in the sentence is to remove the apostrophe from "student's," making the correct answer "The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The girl was thoroughly embarrassed by her parents actions and comments in front of her friends.
by her parents, actions and comments
by her parents actions, and comments
by her parents of actions and comments
by her parents actions and comments
by her parents' actions and comments
by her parents' actions and comments
The word "parents" in the sentence is used as a possesive, as the "actions and comments" belong to the parents. The word is written, however, as a simple plural. The answer choice that fixes this problem is "by her parents' actions and comments."
Certified Tutor
All SAT Writing Resources
