Does apostrophe correctness plague you as you write? Do you feel
anxious wondering what the rule is for an apostrophe used to form a
possessive with a noun ending in s?
First, here's a little quiz. Do you know which of the following are correct?
A. Did you see Tess's new car?
B. Did you see Tess' new car?
C. Are you amazed by Hercules's strength?
D. Are you amazed by Hercules' strength?
Don't let your apostrophe choices stress you. The rule is easy to understand.
Rule:
To form the possessive case of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s.
Examples
boy's hat the boss's office Helen's dress for heaven's sake
*When a word of more than one syllable ends in an s sound, the singular possessive may be formed by adding the apostrophe alone. This omission avoids the awkward hiss of repeated s sounds.
Examples
the witness' testimony for conscience' sake Mr. Rodriguez' car
So, the correct answers above are A, C, and D. Yes, both C and D are correct, but D sounds better.
I hope this rule refresher takes away some of your angst when using an apostrophe with a possessive ending in an s sound. Happy Apostrophing!
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