Using Apostrophes (9-14 years) - Activity Pack

The "Using Apostrophes" activity pack provides an engaging way for children aged 9-14 years to improve their understanding of English grammar, specifically the correct usage of apostrophes. The pack begins by explaining that a singular apostrophe is used to denote possession and is placed before the 's'. Examples such as "Lucy's doll" and "The boy's car" illustrate how the apostrophe indicates that the doll belongs to Lucy and the car belongs to the boy. The pack includes exercises where learners are prompted to insert the appropriate apostrophe into sentences to denote possession, such as "Mum's shopping bag was very heavy" and "Sam's kite soared high in the sky."

When it comes to plural possession, the pack clarifies that the apostrophe is placed after the 's', as in "The dogs' kennel" or "The ladies' coats". However, for plural nouns not ending in 's', the apostrophe precedes it, as in "The children's toys" or "The men's cars". Further exercises reinforce this concept, encouraging learners to correctly place apostrophes in a variety of sentences. Additionally, the pack covers the use of apostrophes in contractions, teaching that "can't" is short for "cannot" and "doesn't" for "does not", with the apostrophe signifying the omission of letters. Learners practice expanding abbreviated words and using apostrophes to create contractions, such as "We'll probably arrive at seven o'clock", demonstrating a comprehensive approach to mastering this aspect of punctuation.