Are We Getting Getting A Bit Too Anal Over The Humble Apostrophe?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40878110
Is it worth a bag to fix something that most won't even notice and even less give a rats plaster?

[bhg481]

Yes

[jim360]

rat's*

[Mamyalynne]

Perhap's

[Calibax]

Ye's

[FinnyMick]

Should that be rats' plaster ?

[albaqwerty]

m'ost definitely

[ToraToraTora]

no it's a single rat, PMSL!

[Mamyalynne]

Welcome to AB FinnyMick.

[Lie-in King]

No.

[Mamyalynne]

^ Theres allers one

[FinnyMick]

The apostrophe continually confuses me. I prefer to say " This cat belongs to Mr Jones"

[wolf63]

FinnyMick - "The apostrophe continually confuses me. I prefer to say " This cat belongs to Mr Jones" "

totally wrong - nobody owns a cat

[albaqwerty]

oooh, Finny, that's going to be responded to !!
(I'll leave it for others lol)

The apostrophe really should know its place imo

[FinnyMick]

Silly me . Being a cat owner (slave really)

[Lie-in King]

The apostrophe does know its place, it's people that can't or won't use it that don't.

[albaqwerty]

ha !! Wolfie got there first :-) xx

Mr Jones' cat has Mr Jones for a slave

[ToraToraTora]

Mr Jones' (or Jones's) cat

[albaqwerty]

must admit Kingy, I have, on occasion slipped up, but that I put down to having an enthusiastic keyboard :-D

[albaqwerty]

noooooooo 3T, no, please a thousand times no, to the Jones's

[ToraToraTora]

see rule 1c: http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/apostro.asp