What has happened to the apostrophe? Where has it gone? Why have people forgotten it?

People keep hiding it in words like video's and potatoe's.

I am trying to teach my students to use it for ownership and contractions NOT to make a word plural!!

On my board I have plural and an apostrophe with a big red line through it.

My example is two guys named Chris -- how do you write it?

A) Chris'

B) Chriss'

C) Chrises'

D) Chrises

Your answer?

The answer is D!!

There is no apostrophe when you are making a word plural! However do use it with contractions and to show ownership.

I don't think as many English teachers have this pet peeve. That's part of why it is misused so much!

My CELTA tutor seems to think you should use one when using the abbreviation Ss(for students), but writes 'Ss's' Can you believe that? It's almost as bad as the pack sent home with my daughter when she was about to sit her Year 6 SATs (note no apostrophe) It advised the students on 'How to Get a Level 4 in your Test' and I quote 'Don't write as if your an adult' Do you see the howling mistake? Even my daughter was able to point it out. This is the state of education. Don't get me started on it!!!!!!!!

Apostrophe - Frank Zappa's gold selling album. Still available on Amazon. Hasn't been forgotten at all.

It hasn't gone - it's just out of fashion with some people.

It'll be back along with capital letters, apostrophes and full stops.

Gee, you didn't use it once in your whole dissertation!

And you could have!

What's happened to the apostrophe? Where's it gone? Why aren't people using it more! It keeps your sentences from sounding stuffy!

I communicate with superb grammar on social networking websites. you do no longer. however. Do however peanut butters your jelly. i'm no longer tripping all because of the fact human beings abbreviate words. Lol. I used to do it. I merely desire to spell all my words out for some reason. C? i will do it! It ain't dat stressful! :P

My husband has stolen it. He drives me crazy with it all the time, putting it in plurals instead of possessives. And his mom was an English major!

It's driven me mad too! Especially in shops and restaurants where they've had signs etc written specially and they still get it wrong!!

As long as the message gets across who cares. What's more of a concern is the folk with no sense of humour who deem it necessary to bring their misery on here to share with others. What a waste of a silver bullet they would be.