Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes

Let's start with a quiz. Which of the following is correct?

1. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the 80's.

2. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the 80s.

Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes

3. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the 80's.

4. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the 80s.

5. We did better in the 1990's than we did in the '80s.

6. We did better in the 1990s than we did in the '80s.

If you said number six is right, congratulations. If you didn't, don't feel bad. This is one of those rules people seem to get wrong more than they get right. They get it wrong because they forget that apostrophes have two main purposes: (1) to show possession and (2) to create a contraction - that is, to show that something has been yanked out, as in the word "don't" - the contraction of "do not."

In the foregoing sentences, is 1990s either possessive or a contraction? No. So an apostrophe has no place in it. What about '80s? Is it possessive? No again. But is it a contraction? Yes! The 19 has been taken out, so we place an apostrophe where those numerals should have been - just so the reader doesn't think we're talking about the decade that began 80 years after the birth of Christ.

In short, don't put an apostrophe before the "s" in 1990s because it's neither possessive nor a contraction. But do use an apostrophe before the "8" in '80s - not because it's possessive, but because it's a contraction.

One last quiz: Is the following sentence right or wrong?

The 1960s' fashions were even more bizarre than the '70s' styles.

The sentence is correct. But why? Because we've made 1960s' and '70s' possessive - both of them.

Writing Tip - Decades and Apostrophes
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Steve Osborne is author of "Writing Tips for the Real World," a blog at [http://www.thewritersbag.com] He is an award-winning freelance writer and writing instructor. His blog teaches writing tips, techniques and strategies designed to help people from all walks of life turn the written word into a powerful success tool in their careers and personal lives.

mobile phone watches Save On Diode Led Di 0187 Fluid View Low Price T9 Bulgarian English English Bulgarian Electronic