How to Use Plural Apostrophes in English

Perfect your apostrophe placement

Getting it right every time (pixabay)

Following on from my earlier article about apostrophe use, here are some tips on how to use apostrophes with confidence when dealing with plurals.

In the noughties, I was the editor of a magazine for a local business forum. In my role there, I had the pleasure of conducting a telephone interview with Rachel Elnaugh, one of the original dragons on the BBC TV show Dragons’ Den. After I’d typed up the interview and sent a copy to Rachel for approval, the only error she pointed out was that I’d repeatedly misplaced the apostrophe when referring to the title of the show. As editor, I was mortified at such a fundamental error.

As an aside, allow me to clarify. A dragon as referred to in the title of the TV show is a wealthy venture capitalist who will put money into a project he or she thinks will bring a return further down the line. In the show, a group of such dragons hear pitches from budding entrepreneurs, and if they like what they see, then they invest in them. There are five dragons in the show, and therein lies the apostrophe placement.

Apostrophe After the S

So, in the following sentences, observe how the position of the possessive apostrophe switches from before the letter s to after it.