Why Don Ferguson is one of my heroes

From the Knoxville News Sentinel:

Grammar Gremlins: Know how to use apostrophe

By Don K. Ferguson
Sunday, December 28, 2008

The use of an apostrophe is troublesome for many.

It often is omitted where it is necessary or inserted where it isn't needed.

Placing the apostrophe in plural possessives causes one of the biggest problems. In a recent survey, nearly half of the 2,000 people polled thought "people's choice" was wrong, whereas it is correct.

An example of where an apostrophe is often incorrectly used is in names on residential mailboxes. Example: The Smith's.

You might, however, write about the Smiths' mailbox or the Smiths' house, using an apostrophe to indicate plural possession.

Perhaps the most common apostrophe mistake occurs with "it's." With the apostrophe, the term is a contraction for "it is" or "it has." Without the apostrophe, "its" is the possessive form of "it." The form "its' " is never right.

Don K. Ferguson's e-mail address is ferguson111@comcast.net.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/dec/28/know-how-to-use-apostrophe/

Lose, Loose

Lose means not winning.
Loose means not tight.

Thank you, Mister Writer

MISTERWRITER - EDUCATIONAL VULGARITY AT ITS BEST

http://ccexm.blogspot.com/2008/07/misterwriter-educational-vulgarity-at.html

Its, It's

It's should ONLY be used as a contraction of it is.
Its is the possessive form of it, but it does not use an apostrophe.

I know it's confusing, but that's the rule.

Less, Fewer

Both less and fewer mean not as much of something, but fewer should be used if you can count the number of the object. For example:

• Fewer dollars or less money
• Fewer calories means it's less filling
• Less cloudy because of fewer clouds
• Fewer people make up less of a crowd
• Fewer miles or less distance
  

Your, You're

Your is something belonging to you.
You're is a contraction for you are.

There, Their, There's, They're

There is a place that isn't here.
Their is something belonging to them.
There's is a contraction for there is.
They're is a contraction for they are.

Apostrophe

You do not need an apostrophe to create a plural.

Just ask Bob the Angry Flower.