᭤ A good way to remember it is to say to yourself ‘the belonging to the ’ ᭤ If they’re the eyes belonging to the cat (singular) you would write: the cat’s eyes. If they’re the eyes belonging to the cats (plural) you would write: the cats’ eyes. If the person or people (or cats) doing the possessing already have an ‘s’ on the end, you don’t add another one; simply stick the apostrophe on the end – that’s why you’ve never seen anyone write ‘the cats’s eyes’. The only times when you would add an ‘s’ after a singular word that ends in ‘s’ are: ᭤ If it’s a proper name (Mr Jones’s, St James’s) ᭤ If the word ends in a double ‘ss’ (the boss’s). You never use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun (a word indicating possession which replaces a noun). These are words like: yours, hers, its, theirs, ours. It’s and its A lot of people find these two words very confusing; ‘its’ is a possessive pronoun and therefore has no apostrophe, while ‘it’s’ is short for ‘it is’ and does have one. The easiest way to tell each time you write the word is to say it in your head as ‘it is’. If it makes sense, it’s short for it is and has an apostrophe. Otherwise it doesn’t. For example, ‘I gave the dog its breakfast’. Try the technique: ‘I gave the dog it is breakfast.’ Complete nonsense. It clearly isn’t short for it is, so it shouldn’t have an apostrophe. Here’s another example: ‘It’s a great day to go swimming’. Try the technique: ‘It is a great day to go swimming’. That makes sense – it’s short for ‘it is’ so it does have an apostrophe, in place of the missing ‘i.’ 160 Appendix B Punctuation Appendix C Proofreader’s marks The following marks are standard proofreading marks. Only the most commonly used have been included. Depending on the content of your text, you may need to use other symbols, e.g., superscript and subscript for formulas. A professional proofreader puts a mark in the line and writes the correction in the margin. An editor makes corrections within the line rather than in the margin (in part because an editor’s changes are typically more extensive), which is why editors prefer to work with double-spaced copy. 162 Appendix C Proofreader’s marks Appendix C Proofreader’s marks 163 Appendix D The use of the articles a/an/the/ zero (no) article A countable noun is the name of something that can be counted: one book, two books etc. A non-countable noun is the name of something that cannot be counted: milk, money, freedom, justice. A non-countable noun does not take “a” or “an” and does not have a plural form. Use “a” or “an” Use “the” Don’t Use “a,” “an,” or “the” General Rules Use “a” or “an” with a singular countable noun when you mean “one of many”. • Annie is a student (one of many students). Use “the” with any noun when the meaning is specific; for example, when the noun names the only one (or one) of a kind. • Adam was the first man (the only ‘first man’). • London is the capital of the UK (only one city can be ‘the capital’). Don’t use “a,” “an,” or “the” with a non-countable noun when you mean “in general.” • Coffee has gone up in price. Use “a” or “an” the first time you use a noun in a paragraph • I saw a great film last night. Use “the” the second time you use that same noun in the same paragraph • The film I saw was about Don’t use “a,” “an,” or “the” with a plural countable noun when you mean “in general.” • Classical music concerts are very relaxing (in general). Title Use “a” or “an” if the title is not a specific title. • a nurse • a doctor • a princess Use “the” if only one person has the title. • the President of the US • the Queen of England Don’t use “a,” “an,” or “the” if the person’s name is given. • President Bush • Queen Elizabeth . subscript for formulas. A professional proofreader puts a mark in the line and writes the correction in the margin. An editor makes corrections within the line rather than in the margin (in part because. books etc. A non-countable noun is the name of something that cannot be counted: milk, money, freedom, justice. A non-countable noun does not take “a” or “an” and does not have a plural form. Use “a”. find these two words very confusing; ‘its’ is a possessive pronoun and therefore has no apostrophe, while ‘it’s’ is short for ‘it is’ and does have one. The easiest way to tell each time you write