This week we have been concentrating on the short story 'The Chaser' and we have also been revising how to use the apostrophe. You can find out all about the apostrophe (and how it is like Batman) here:
http://sweetlikecrabapples.blogspot.com/2010/09/punctuation-how-apostrophe-is-like.html
Meanwhile, here is a reminder of this week's homework for anyone who has managed to drop it/fed it to the dog/otherwise misplaced it:
THE APOSTROPHE
As we discussed in class this week, the apostrophe has TWO jobs, both of which are basically ways of making it quicker and easier to say something by making it shorter:
1) It shows when something belongs to something or someone else;
2) It shows where some missing letters used to be when two words have been smashed together.
e.g. The house of Rose -> Rose’s house The homework of Tao -> Tao’s homework
The dog belonging to the girls -> the girls’ dog
she + is -> she’s where + is -> where’s they + have -> they’ve
It DOES NOT decorate words just because they happen to have a letter S on the end, or because they happen to be a plural. Honestly. Please don’t do that.
Read these sentences and figure out how you can use apostrophes to make them shorter.
1) She will bring the cookies to the party of John.
2) That is the book of Miss Ali.
3) I used apostrophes properly in the homework of Miss Nichola.
4) I have always liked mango and sticky rice; it is my favourite dessert.
5) Where is my hat?
6) Where is the hat of my brother?
7) We have been walking for hours and hours now!
8) Why do not you help me carry this shopping?
9) I will not help you because it is yours!
10) You will be in trouble with Mum if I tell her you have been mean!
11) I did not understand how to use this horrible punctuation mark.
12) I am starting to understand how it works now!
13) The cat of Miss Nichola has eaten all the tuna!
14) He went to the school of the girls by accident and he is quite embarrassed now.
15) I am trying very hard to get the hang of how to use the apostrophe.
Now make up five more sentences of your own, using the apostrophe correctly.
