Grammar 101: insider tips and tricks to instantly improve your writing (part 2)

Hannah Lawrence
Hannah Lawrence
A professional man sits at a desk, writing notes with a laptop open in front of him.
Reading time: 5 minutes

As a proofreader and editor, I'm often asked to explain the rules of grammar. I answered three of the most common questions in the first post of this series, and now it's time to look at another frequent query: how to use apostrophes. Where do they go? When are they needed? And when should they be left out entirely?

Apostrophes might be small but they can cause big confusion because they are used both to indicate posession and to contract words. But the good news is that there are clear, simple patterns to follow, which we'll explore, along with exceptions to watch out for. Whether you’re writing a report or just a text message, these tips will help you use apostrophes correctly and confidently.

Apostrophes with ease: posession

Apostrophes show possession: they tell us something belongs to someone or something. When we want to show possession for regular plurals (when a word needs an "s" to make it plural), the apostrophe goes at the end and no further "s" is added: 

  • The teachers' association
  • The campaigners' letter
  • The dogs' dinner

Whereas, when we want to show posession for either a single noun or an irregular plural (for example, children, geese), we add an "apostrophe s":

  • Sarah's car
  • Pearson's assessment tools
  • The children's presents
  • The geese's pond

Single names that end in an “s” get an “apostrophe s” but plural names get only an apostrophe:

  • Mrs Jones’s car
  • James's cat
  • Whole Foods’ offices
  • Starbucks' nearest store

There's one exception that's important to note: "its" and "it's". The posessive form "its" does not have an apostrophe: "it's" always means "it is". 

  • The cat ate its food

Apostrophes with ease: contractions

Contracted words are the combined and shortened forms of two words, which are commonly used in everyday writing and speech to sound more natural and conversational. They're made by omitting certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe: for example, in "don't", it replaces the missing “o” from not. 

When you miss one or more letters, use an apostrophe:

  • "would not" becomes "wouldn’t"
  • "cannot" becomes "can’t"
  • "we are" becomes "we're"
  • and, as before, "it is" becomes "it's"

When not to use apostrophes

A common mistake is using apostrophes when making words plural or when refering to decades and numbers. For example:

  • The 1980s had the best music (not "The 1980's")
  • Many people retire from working in their 70s (not "their 70's")
  • I bought some apples at the store (not "apple's")
Using apostrophes: simple tips to improve your writing skills
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Test your knowledge

Now you know the basic rules of apostrophes, it's time to check your knowledge.

Which sentence is correct?:

  1. The childrens break time has finished
  2. The childrens' break time has finished
  3. The children's break time has finished

It's sentence 3. We want to show posession – break time belongs to the children – and "children" is plural so it gets an "apostrophe s".
Now try these sentences and see if you can figure out which one is right:

  1. When you're walking my dog, its important to remember it's collar.
  2. When you're walking my dog, it's important to remember its collar.
  3. When youre walking my dog, it's important to remember it's collar.

The correct answer is 2. "You're" is a contraction of "you are", "it is important" so we use "it's" and we show that the collar belongs to the dog by using "its". Finally: 

  1. Luis' daughter won't go to sleep. 
  2. Luis's daughter wont go to sleep. 
  3. Luis's daughter won't go to sleep. 

Here, the right answer is 3. "Luis" is a single name, so gets an "apostrophe s", and "will not" is shortened to "won't". 

Hopefully you now feel more confident in using apostrophes in your writing. Look out for the next post in this series, where we’ll explore more common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them.

Read our blog posts "11 fascinating facts about English" and "Grammar 101: insider tips and tricks to instantly improve your writing (part 1)".

Explore language learning with Mondly by Pearson

More blogs from Pearson

  • Students studying together at a table
    What students wish they’d done earlier when planning to study in the USA
    By Abi Fordham
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    If you spend enough time reading student forums, Reddit threads or comment sections about studying in the USA, you begin to notice a pattern.

    There’s plenty of advice about what students should do next. But much less about what they wish they’d done earlier.

    Those reflections usually appear later in the process, after applications have been submitted or deadlines have passed. Often, they come with a sense of hindsight: “I wish I’d known this sooner.”

    For students still early in the process, planning ahead can make everything feel far more manageable – and these tips are here to help.

    Starting earlier helps more than you think

    One of the most common reflections from students is that they waited until something felt urgent.

    Until a deadline appeared. Until a university responded. Until friends started applying.

    By that point, the process often felt rushed and stressful.

    Students who started earlier didn’t necessarily have everything figured out. In many cases, they simply gave themselves more time to think clearly, explore options and make decisions without pressure.

    Starting early doesn’t mean completing everything immediately. It simply means beginning before the process becomes overwhelming.

    Many students don’t realize how much flexibility they have

    Many students assume there is only one way to complete each step of the study abroad process. One test format. One timeline. One fixed path.

    In reality, there are now more flexible options available to students applying to universities in the USA.

    For example, some English language tests can now be taken from home, making it easier for students to fit preparation and testing around school, work or other commitments. This can reduce travel time, scheduling difficulties and unnecessary stress earlier in the application journey.

    Having more flexibility often helps students feel more in control of the process overall.

    Comparing timelines usually creates more stress

    This is something that comes up constantly in student discussions online.

    One student already has an offer. Another has booked their English test. Someone else is still deciding where to apply.

    It’s easy to feel behind, even when you’re not.

    What many students realize later is that study abroad timelines are rarely comparable. Different universities, application requirements, intake dates and personal circumstances all affect how long the process takes.

    The students who felt most confident were usually the ones focused on their own next step rather than someone else’s progress.

    Small steps create momentum

    Another common theme in student reflections is the importance of momentum.

    Not huge achievements. Just consistent progress.

    Researching universities. Booking a test. Submitting one document. Sending one email.

    Small actions help the process feel more realistic and manageable. Over time, they build confidence and make studying abroad feel achievable rather than distant.

    Confidence often comes later than expected

    Many students spend the early stages of the process questioning themselves.

    Am I choosing the right university?
    Am I applying at the right time?
    Am I making the right decisions?

    Later, many reflect that they were more prepared than they initially believed.

    The process itself teaches students how to make decisions, adapt to uncertainty and move forward even without having every answer immediately.

    Waiting until you feel completely ready can sometimes unnecessarily delay progress.

    Final thoughts

    Planning to study in the USA is a major decision, and it’s normal for the process to feel uncertain at times. But many students later realise that starting earlier, staying focused on manageable steps and avoiding unnecessary comparison made the experience much easier.

    You do not need to have everything figured out straight away. Often, the most helpful thing is simply beginning.

  • Two women outside studying and smiling
    How to keep students motivated during intensive summer English courses
    By Richard Cleeve
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Intensive summer English courses can be exciting, fast-paced and highly rewarding for both learners and teachers. Adult learners and teens often arrive motivated and enthusiastic, ready to improve their English skills quickly. However, it can be challenging to maintain student engagement over long study hours during the summer months.

    With warm weather, holidays and distractions competing for students’ attention, educators need effective strategies to keep learners focused, motivated and actively participating throughout the course.

    Here are eight practical ways to motivate students during intensive summer English courses.

    1. Start the course strong

    The first class sets the tone for the entire course. Students form early impressions about the learning environment, classroom expectations and teaching style, so it’s important to begin with energy, structure and clear objectives.

    For teen learners, establish classroom expectations early by creating class rules together or developing a collaborative class contract. This helps build accountability while creating a positive learning environment.

    For adult learners, ensure students leave the first lesson feeling they have already learned something valuable. Icebreakers and communicative activities are important, but learners should also experience meaningful progress from day one.

    A strong start builds trust, confidence and long-term motivation.

    2. Personalize the learning experience

    One of the best ways to improve student engagement in English language learning is through personalization.

    Take time to learn about your students':

    • Interests and hobbies
    • Academic goals
    • Professional ambitions
    • Travel or study plans
    • Preferred learning styles

    Use surveys, discussion activities or learner profiles early in the course to gather information. You can then tailor lessons, projects and speaking tasks to topics students genuinely care about.

    When learners see content connected to their personal lives and future goals, their motivation increases naturally.

  • Man working in office looking at papers
    How the Slate and PTE partnership is streamlining admissions for greater efficiency
    By Alice Bazzi
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Admissions teams today are under increasing pressure to ensure the application process is done quickly, fairly and at scale, without compromising integrity or student experience. As international applicant volumes increase and digital processes become the norm, efficiency across admissions workflows has never been more critical. 

    That is why the recent partnership between Slate and PTE aims to simplify the process of receiving, reviewing and trusting English language test results. 

    A shared focus on admissions efficiency 

    Slate is widely used by higher education institutions across the United States to manage the full student lifecycle, from initial inquiry through enrollment. Admissions teams rely on Slate to centralize data, reduce manual processes and support informed decision-making at speed.

    Through the Slate and PTE partnership, PTE scores are integrated directly into admissions workflows, reducing friction for admissions officers and eliminating unnecessary administrative steps. Rather than navigating multiple systems or manually verifying results, admissions teams can access PTE scores while decisions are already being made.

    Reducing manual work and administrative burden

    One of the biggest challenges admissions teams face is losing time to manual processes, such as downloading score reports, checking authentication, uploading files or reconciling data across platforms.

    By integrating PTE into Slate:

    • English test results are received directly within the admissions platform
    • Manual entry and document handling are reduced
    • Verification becomes simpler and more reliable
    • Processing time per application is shortened

    This directly supports admissions teams who are managing high application volumes with limited resources, enabling them to focus less on administration and more on applicant evaluation. 

    Faster, more confident decision-making

    Speed matters, but confidence matters just as much. Admissions teams need to trust the data they’re working with, especially when making conditional offers or final decisions.

    Having PTE results embedded within Slate allows admissions officers to:

    • Review scores quickly and consistently
    • Make faster decisions without leaving their workflow
    • Reduce delays caused by missing or manually-uploaded documentation
    • Maintain consistency across admissions teams and cycles

    The result is a smoother review experience that supports both operational efficiency and institutional standards.

    A better experience for admissions teams and students

    Streamlined admissions workflows don’t just benefit institutions; they improve the experience for students too.

    When systems work together:

    • Applicants face fewer delays and follow‑ups
    • Admissions communication becomes clearer and more timely
    • Offer turnaround times are reduced
    • Institutions present a more modern, efficient admissions experience

    This joined‑up approach helps institutions remain competitive, responsive and student‑focused,  particularly when engaging international applicants navigating complex admissions requirements. 

    Supporting innovation in admissions operations

    Beyond efficiency gains, the Slate and PTE partnership reflects a broader commitment to innovation in admissions operations.

    By integrating trusted English proficiency data into established institutional workflows, the partnership supports:

    • Scalable admissions processes
    • Greater consistency across decision‑making
    • Reduced operational risk
    • Long‑term efficiency as application volumes grow

    For admissions teams, this means future‑ready systems designed to evolve with changing recruitment and enrolment needs. 

    Streamlining admissions with Slate and PTE

    The partnership between Slate and PTE is built on a shared understanding of what admissions teams need most: clarity, efficiency, and confidence.

    By bringing English test scores directly into admissions workflows, institutions can reduce complexity, streamline operations and deliver faster, more reliable outcomes, all while maintaining the integrity and trust that admissions decisions demand.