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Inglese, gli errori tipici: l'apostrofo

• 138: Inglese: Gli aggettivi
• 140: Inglese: Gli errori tipici: very, too e enough

Quando devo usare l'apostrofo ?

1. Si usa l'apostrofo seguito da una s per indicare il possesso (per indicare qualcosa appartiene a qualcos'altro):
   
   • The child's toys were lying all over the floor.
   • The bank's offices are in the centre of London.
   
   Quando la parsona o cosa che possiede è plurale si può mettere l'apostrofo dopo la s finale:
   
   • The players' boots were covered in mud.
   • The girls' shoes were the same colour.
   
   Non usare l' apostrofo con i pronomi possessivi: yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs:
   
   • Look at that bird. Its feathers are beautiful. (Errato: Look at that bird. It's feathers are beautiful.)
   • Are these seats ours? (Errato: Are these seats our's?)
   
   
2. Negli scritti informali si possono usare le contrazioni. In questo caso si mette l'apostrofo per indicare le contrazioni (per segnalare che mancano delle lettere):
   
   • He's been studying English for a year. (He has been studying English for a year.)
   • We're going on holiday to Florida next week. (We are going on holiday to Florida next week.)
   
   
3. Non usare l'apostrofo per indicare il plurale di parole abbreviate:
   
   • My suitcase weighs 30 KGs! (Errato: My suitcase weighs 30 KG's!)
   • I have two PCs and a laptop at home. (Errato: I have two PC's and a laptop at home.)
   
   
4. Non usare l'apostrofo nel plurale di date e numeri:
   
   • In the 1940s (Errato: In the 1940's)
   • He's been working for this company since the seventies. (Errato: He's been working for this company since the seventie's.)
   
   

Esempi

• My friends laptop
• My friend's laptop

• These students names are all difficult to pronounce.
• These students' names are all difficult to pronounce

• Is that book your's?
• Is that book yours?

• Look at the tiger. It's fur is orange with black stripes.
• Look at the tiger. Its fur is orange with black stripes.

• Youre late!
• You're late!

• I don't buy CD's now. I buy all my music on-line.
• I don't buy CDs now. I buy all my music on-line.

• I don't like music from the 1980's
• I don't like music from the 1980s.