Possession: Apostrophes are used to show ownership or possession of something. For example, "The dog's ball" indicates that the ball belongs to the dog. Without the apostrophe, the sentence "The dogs ball" would imply that there are multiple dogs and only one ball.
Contractions: Apostrophes are also used to form contractions, combining two words into one. Common examples include "I'm" (I am), "don't" (do not), and "won't" (will not). Without apostrophes, these words would be written as separate entities, which can make the text less concise.
Ellipsis: Apostrophes can indicate an omission or missing part of a word. For instance, "The '70s" represents the 1970s, and "can't" signifies "cannot." Without the apostrophe, the intended meaning could be unclear.
Plurals for Letters and Numbers: In certain situations, apostrophes can be used to form the plurals of letters or numbers. For example, "There are three R's in the English language: Reading, wRiting, and arithmetic." Without the apostrophe, the sentence would incorrectly imply that there are multiple "R" letters.
Avoiding Apostrophes: In some cases, it may be appropriate to omit apostrophes. For instance, it's common practice not to use an apostrophe when forming a plural for proper names or acronyms, such as "The Smiths" or "NATO countries." Additionally, apostrophes are generally not necessary to indicate possession when the word already ends in "s," such as "students' union."
Overall, while omitting apostrophes can be acceptable in certain specific circumstances, it's essential to use them correctly most of the time to ensure clear and accurate communication. If you're unsure whether or not to use an apostrophe, consult a style guide or grammar reference for guidance.