One issue in English tutoring is apostrophes.  We’ll sort out when to use them – and when not to.

In everyday English, you commonly see apostrophes misused.  There are only two cases in which you do use them:

1)  In contractions, such as can’t and don’t.  The apostrophe means that letters have been left out to shorten the word.  (For example, can’t means cannot.)

2)  To show possession, such as John’s car or Heidi’s boots.

You don’t use apostrophes any other time.

Note that, when the possessor is plural, you put the apostrophe after the s:

That is my parents’ car.

Hope this saves you some marks :)

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.