Using apostrophes to signal contractions
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Contractions are two-
| it is, it has/it’s | I would, I had/I’d | will not/won’t |
| was not/wasn’t | he would, he had/he’d | let us/let’s |
| I am/I’m | would not/wouldn’t | who is, who has/who’s |
| he is, he has/he’s | do not/don’t | cannot/can’t |
| you will/you’ll | does not/doesn’t |
Contractions are common in both conversation and informal writing. Some academic and professional work, however, calls for greater formality.
its and it’s
Its is the possessive form of it. It’s is a contraction for it is or it has.
Omissions
An apostrophe signals omissions in some common phrases:
| ten of the clock | rock and roll | class of 2003 |
| ten o’clock | rock ’n’ roll | class of ’03 |
In addition, writers can use an apostrophe to signal omitted letters in approximating the sound of speech or a specific dialect.
You should’a seen ’em playin’ together.