English, baby!

Apostrophe Mistakes

Date: May 16 2008

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Native English speakers make English mistakes all the time but no one calls them on it because they don’t have a foreign accent. It’s not fair but it’s true.

One of the hardest things about the English language is apostrophes. It’s so hard that native speakers misuse them all the time!

Mason is taking out the recycling in his apartment building when Jason arrives to see him and finds an opportunity for a little grammar lesson.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Jason

Mason: What’s up, Jason? How’s it going?

Jason: Hey, dude, I was just on my way to your place. You taking out the recycling?

Mason: Yeah man. Just got done. It’s my weekly task.

Jason: What’s up with these apostrophes?

Mason: “Bottle’s” and “can’s,” dude.

Jason: But it’s plural. It’s not possessive.

Mason: It’s got an ’s’. It’s “bottle’s.” “Can’s.”

Jason: It’s so funny, ’cause, you know an apostrophe is like super hard to get right? Even native speakers don’t ever get it.

Mason: What do you mean? It’s like, “you’re,” apostrophe, “bottle’s,” apostrophe.

Jason: An apostrophe is only there if…Well, “you’re” it’s there because it’s a contraction. The apostrophe represents a letter that’s missing as in the ‘a’ in “are.” And then if it was like, “Mason’s cans,” it would have an apostrophe because they belong to Mason.

Mason: Right. “Can’s.” Apostrophe.

Jason: But this is just “cans,” like more than one can. So it doesn’t have an apostrophe. You know what I mean?

Mason: Dude, it’s my recycling. Like, why you gotta get all grammar on me?

Jason: I’m not. I’m just teasing you. I’m just saying it’s funny how, like, people learning the language complain about apostrophes. I make mistakes all the time with apostrophes and…

Mason: Yeah. I guess. Apostrophes are the least of my worries with English. I’m lucky if I can think of the right word when I want it. Seriously.

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Discussion

Mason has two boxes, one labeled “can’s” and the other labeled “bottle’s.” Jason explains that they should say “bottles” and “cans” since the only time you use an apostrophe is when something belongs to someone (example: Jason’s Lucky Day) or there’s a letter missing because of a contraction (example: was not = wasn’t).

But the way Jason describes apostrophes is confusing because the example of a possessive he uses is “Mason’s cans.” This gives Mason a headache and he suggests there be no more grammar lessons in the hallway.

Comments

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epicatin

Nicaragua

I'm only an english learner and I have never made that kind of mistake.

sunny zhang

China

it's difficult_{but I got it}o(∩_∩)o…

tscai lynn

China

sounds fun but it's hard to understand

Neo007

Bangladesh

I hate grammars. When a child learns a new language then that child doesn't need to those damn grammars.

I want to learn a new language by using it in practical life like native language.

sulth4n

Indonesia

Apostrophe is used with possessive. plural is only use ’s’ nor apostrophe.

Casiol

Malaysia

Laugh Out Loud

or Laughing Out Loud

that's lol

yeast

Indonesia

i’m not too got the meaning… maybe someone can teach me…=p
apostrophe????

Arthur Chen

China

Well, nothing is 100% perfect. We should remember the function of language is just to communicate or convey messages. In addition, it seems that foreign learner is impossible to be a native speaker.

zeinabou

Egypt

this is my's lesson lol

this is my lesson's lol{by the way what is the meaning of lol?

oladier

Cuba

They are not too difficult to learn, you just need to practice them. I think for learning any languge you just need to practice it, besides studying the grammar's rules, of course..

VOLTS

Brazil

This is a nice lesson, but I don’t belive a native speaker make these mistakes.

SÉRGIO

Brazil

Ok, i've caught that!! but it is not as easy as i think about!

MarilenaAa

Turkey

good job !!!

Pei~

China

啥意思？？？？

ndechoka

Tanzania, United Republic Of

ooh!it's very interesting ussully people do mistakes unknowingly,its time to learn and prctice to avoid such errors

Casiol

Malaysia

it's time to see mistakes made by natives

yup i've heard a native said "i wanna broke ur arm" on tv

sometimes we don't realize it when we talk too fast :D

alice197

China

Grammer definitely is a big headache for the english learners!!!!

santhoshma

India

this is very helpful in my writings!!!!!!!!!!!

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

it was nice point.

this is my's lesson lol

Bob Ishida

Japan

Yeah, interesting. I had been taght to use the language right in my schools. But why should I do while native speakers are doing that kind of mistakes. I guess I need to tolerate to this kind of mistakes. What do you think?