The millers would be an incorrect use of apostrophe in the above example. It is used to show when one noun possesses another noun. Use them correctly while writing, following the rules and explanations discussed in this article. My argument with some coworkersis that it is not correct to add an apostrophe.
It seems like only yesterday that general bill oreilly drew the first battle lines, declaring with. How to punctuate hi, june greetings and direct addresses. Words you can make out of seasons greetings answers. Then, add an apostrophe at the end to show possession. The apostrophe makes the term look possessive, but it isnt truly possessive, just quasi. You are only referring to one season, the winterxmasholiday season. If your last name is johnson and you want to send a card from your family, simply add an s. Know when to use apostrophes and when not to apostrophes are used for one reason. The reason you omit apostrophes from most plurals has an. Ontario training network word choice seasons greetings.
The apostrophe makes the term look possessive, but it isnt truly possessive, just quasipossessive. This occurs when you are writing a contraction, such as dont do not, wouldnt would not or its it is. Apostrophes sometimes show up in verbs that end in s, such as marks, sees, or finds. You should, of course, observe your publishers or instructors requirements. Other common holiday greeting terms, happy holidays, merry christmas, season s greetings, are not capitalized. The expression seasons greetings is an expression of genitive case also known as possessive. There are conflicting policies and theories about how to show possession when writing such nouns. The apostrophe bedevils many, but in this case you want to use it because the meaning of the phrase is greetings of the holiday season. As the rule above states, to show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first. May 31, 2016 logo designers often feel omitting the apostrophe leads to a cleaner look, and theres nothing you can do about it except to remember which is standard for a particular company.
Also, treat this catchall greeting like happy holidays and capitalize both words. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the letter s. If they possess the thing together, use one apostrophe on the final name. How often do we pull out pen and paper and write handwritten letters. The greetings belong to a single season, so this is the appropriate spelling. As christmas approaches and you find yourself needing to write greetings to others, which of the following forms should you use. She is sending greetings for the season or greeting people in the spirit of the season. When somebody writes seasons greetings,is an apostrophe.
Many common nouns end in the letter s lens, cactus, bus, etc. If you dont have a style guide, its ok to just pick one of the methods, as long as you dont switch back and forth within the same document. Not only are we getting together with loved ones, but we also take additional time. Do you wish your friends and family seasons greetings. It is technically a possessive, seasons greetings greetings of the christmas season, but on posters, banners, and cards the apostrophe is often omitted. It seems like only yesterday that general bill oreilly. If youre wishing someone greetings of the season, youre wishing seasons greetings. Hremember seasons greetings without the apostrophe means greetings for many seasons. Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes seasons greetings a bit counterintuitive the glad tidings dont belong to the season in the same way that frostys top hat belongs to him. Note that the position of the apostrophe before or after the s depends on whether the word is a plural form ending in s. If apostrophes are a challenge for you, check out our detailed guide. Know how to use apostrophes for acronyms and years. Personal pronouns, unlike regular nouns, do not use apostrophes.
In the case of seasons greetings, adding an apostrophe and the letter s to the word season indicates possession. May 27, 2019 know how to use apostrophes for acronyms and years. Is there an apostrophe before the s in greetings answers. With just one small mark, they can make the difference between an errorfree card and the alternative. The same logic goes for years instead of writing spandex was popular in the 1980s, use 1980s. The apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season and all the holidays in it. Dec 05, 2016 if your last name is johnson and you want to send a card from your family, simply add an s. In the case of seasons greetings, adding an apostrophe and the letter s to the word.
Only use an apostrophe when you want to make a name possessive. What the cms actually says is capital letters do not normally require an apostrophe in the plural. You are only referring to one season, the winter xmas holiday season. Use whichever style matches the style guide you use for your writing. Adding an apostrophe to season s greetings is correct, since it makes the phrase possessive. First, add es or s to write the familys last name in plural form. You can use an apostrophe to show the plural of letters and numbers. Lets wish them the best life can bring them throughout the upcoming holiday time. And although you may like the person so well that you want to wish them good tidings for numerous seasons to come, lets get a little more personal and take it one step at a time. Steve, winter begins dec 21st, which is before xmas. Fox news has always been on the front lines of the great war of our time, the war on christmas. Should we just return all those holiday card apostrophes like that awkward.
I work down at the safeways now though in writing, the. When do i use an apostrophe for these certain words. Seasons, the plural, makes no sense as an adjective modifying greetings. We ink holiday wishes and seasons greetings inside, address our envelopes with a. The greetings belong to the season, and thus theyre the holiday seasons greetings. Instead, somebody is collectively giving the greetings of the holiday season. A simple and timely reminder for our final mind your language column of the year. However, please remember seasons greetings without the apostrophe means greetings for many seasons. This is incorrect, since there is no subsequent noun for the bakers to take. Because youre wishing someone greetings of the season, so the season owns the greetings. If youre talking about something that belongs to an it, you do not use an apostrophe. Logo designers often feel omitting the apostrophe leads to a cleaner look, and theres nothing you can do about it except to remember which is standard for a particular company. Seasons greetings, seasons greetings or seasons greetings. Season seasons if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above.
If there were an added apostrophe as in, the bakers or the bakers, it would. Jul 24, 2019 as a general rule, use only an s or an es without an apostrophe to form the plurals of nouns including dates, acronyms, and family names. You can use an apostrophe to show a plural form for words that are not normally plural. Knowing the right place to use an apostrophe is easy once the basic rules regarding the same are clear. Englishspeaking people usually greet each other in an informal way, so you can use these common conversational greetings for friends, family, as well as people you meet in casual settings. But people sometimes informally add an s to company names with which they are on familiar terms. May 17, 2016 apostrophes are often mistakenly omitted in common expressions such as at arms length and at wits end. Dec 21, 2012 a simple and timely reminder for our final mind your language column of the year. Apostrophes with names ending in s, ch, or z grammar and. Some people use an apostrophe when the first two figures of a year are left out.
When somebody writes seasons greetings,is an apostrophe appropriate in seasons. You would include an apostrophe when using the terms new years eve, or new years day. The greetings belong to the season, so you need the possessive with the apostrophe and not the plural seasons. Do not use the apostrophe to form the plural of capital letters. Fox news sends out christmas card that says seasons. When writing the possessive its, do not use an apostrophe.
English speaking people usually greet each other in an informal way, so you can use these common conversational greetings for friends, family, as well as people you meet in casual settings. Sep 17, 20 however, please remember seasons greetings without the apostrophe means greetings for many seasons. As a general rule, use only an s or an es without an apostrophe to form the plurals of nouns including dates, acronyms, and family names. Dec 21, 2004 season seasons if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. Apostrophes mark possession, but the degree can vary, which makes season s greetings a bit counterintuitive the glad tidings dont belong to the season in the same way that frostys top hat belongs to him. Names you want to make plural and possessive double up your difficulty.
Dec 22, 2016 fox news has always been on the front lines of the great war of our time, the war on christmas. The correct spelling is seasons greetings, according to the oxford english dictionary. Jul 20, 2017 use an apostrophe to indicate missing letters. We tend to use the phrase more in writing than in speaking. Dec 23, 2017 the apostrophe tells us that the greetings are regarding the current season and all the holidays in it. If apostrophes are a challenge for you, check out our detailed.
Dont worry after youve written something ten or twenty times, your mind starts doubting how to spell your own name, let alone remember the rules of the possessive apostrophe. Nov 29, 2003 when somebody writes seasons greetings,is an apostrophe appropriate in seasons. You are sending the greetings of the season just one season, so its s. Before you can place your apostrophes, you need to figure out whether the people have the thing together or separately. The letter s in the word greetings is part of this word. The only time an apostrophe should be used in a year is if its standing in for omitted numbers. Adding an apostrophe to seasons greetings is correct, since it makes the phrase possessive. But, rest assured, an apostrophe is required, because its is a contraction for it is. Seasons greetings is a shortened form for greetings of the season and makes excellent sense. Seasons greetings or seasons greetings and confusing. Apostrophes are often mistakenly omitted in common expressions such as at arms length and at wits end.
Tis the season for good grammar, along with all those glad tidings. Do you mean single quotation marks and double quotation marks rather than apostrophes. Seasons greetings or seasons greetings and confusing holiday. While preparing your holiday cards, you may be stumped by a recurring december dilemma. Multiple holidays are celebrated in one combined season, so use an apostrophe and s to show that you are sending greetings of the season. Do use the apostrophe to form the plural of lowercase letters.
Happy new year follows the same rule, so you would not capitalize happy unless it begins the sentence. Seasons greetings without the apostrophe means greetings for many. Dear is a modifier, and you dont use a comma to separate modifiers from the things they modify lazy, cat. Pet peeves, apostrophes, and plural family names writeshop. The apostrophe key on the key board is also used for single quotation marks. Do not use an apostrophe in nouns that are plural but not possessive, such as cds, s, or 1960s. Proper nouns like christmas should always be capitalized, but the word merry should only be. Have a funfilled christmas and a spectacular 2015, and remember. Nicole fornabaiousing the phrase seasons greetings is a popular way to address a large group of. The dos and donts regarding when to use an apostrophe. The furnesses is correct if you are referring to the plural possessive in the phrase the furnesses house. Because you re wishing someone greetings of the season, so the season owns the greetings.
Some apostrophe mistakes involve the confusion of two words that sound the same but have different meanings. Its with an apostrophe, because its possessive, ie the greetings of the season, or, seasons greetings. If there were an added apostrophe as in, the bakers or the bakers, it would make the term possessive. In general, apostrophes do not belong in plural words. Many argue that they have no place at all in formal writing. But you can get through them if you just remember that plural possessives always end with an apostrophe no extra s is added. Although s can be easily confused with s in words like thats that is, in the possessive phrase seasons greetings it is a relic of the days when english had a case system as many other languages still do, and is a genitive or possessive inflection originally es and the apostrophe shows the absence of the e.
Should you send seasons greetings or seasons greetings. A lot of correspondence starts with greetings like. You hold someone at the length of your arm singular, but are at the end of your wits plural. Use an apostrophe for its only when you are writing a contraction of it is. The tax advantages offered by iras make them attractive investments. Where should the apostrophe go in seasons greetings. And although you may like the person so well that you want to wish them good tidings for numerous seasons to come. The definitive guide to making your last name possessive. Find holiday wishes, funny holiday greeting messages, and holiday quotes below, including how to say happy holidays in 28 different languages. If you leave out the periods, you can write mas but youd still have to write phds. From the smiths is always wrong, but the party is at the smiths house is correct.