Page 84 - Improve_Your_Written_English [Marion_Field]

70 / P ART ONE: THE B AS ICS

The blame is mine.
These books are hers. (no apostrophe)

The first prize was his. (no apostrophe)

Theirs was the glory. (no apostrophe)
The success was ours. (no apostrophe)

That house is theirs. (no apostrophe)

Note especially
The cat cleaned its whiskers (no apostrophe).

not
The cat cleaned it’s whiskers.

◆ ‘Its’ possessive does not use an apostrophe.

◆ ‘It’s’ is used only when letters are omitted.

◆ ‘It’s’ means ‘it is’ or ‘it has’.

ABBREVIATING WORDS
When writing formally, it is better not to abbreviate. Write
the words out in full. However, it is, of course, acceptable to
abbreviate when writing dialogue.

An abbreviation is when letters are missed out. Sometimes
two words are combined into one. An apostrophe is placed
where the letter or letters have been omitted:

‘cannot’ becomes ‘can’t’