Meryl's Notes Blog
Things wordy, geeky, and webbyApostrophe Spaces
Thursday, January 20th, 2005 at 6:25 AM |Teresa Gomez writes, “I have a question for you concerning the use of apostrophes. I was an English major in college and I even managed to graduate with a BA in English. However, my son is being taught in his 5th grade class that he must allow a space when writing a word that includes an apostrophe.
“For example, he wrote can’t and was marked down because his teacher requires a space separating the cursive letters where the apostrophe is inserted. Another mother and I discussed this and she agrees with the teacher. Did I miss something in my education requiring this space?”
This is the first I’ve heard of this practice. My daughter is in 5th grade and she writes apostrophes in the same way Theresa and I do… no space. I verified with my daughter and she said her school does it both ways—it doesn’t matter.
I searched my reference books and the Internet. Didn’t see anything pointing out this practice. The few resources I did find indicated there is no space, but the resources weren’t major or well-known resources. Anyone heard anything? Obviously, adding the space is going to lengthen handwriting time and so few people still do handwriting beyond grade school as is.
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13 comments
I’ve never heard anything about this “space-with-apostrophe” practice.
But then I’m a Brit – what would I know about the English Language?
Prang
Are they specifically talking about cursive writing, that the pen be lifted between the ‘n’ and the ‘t’ of “can’t” – if so, that almost makes sense, but seems real nit-picky to me.
If, on the other hand, they’re talking about print or type and want “can’ t” or “can ‘t” then I think that’s absolutly absurd.
I really hope that this is only about cursive writing. In cursive writing it is incorrect to join the n & t in can’t, this would make the word cant with something peculiar between the n & t. But this is not a space.
There cannot be a space between the n & ‘, the apostrophe here marks missing letters prior to the t. this would give the word can and another 2 letter word ending in t.
A legitimate form of apostrophe, if somewhat rarely used, is in e’er for ever. Not e ‘er, where the ‘er is recognisable English for her. I do not want to e her see her again. Think not.
There are many uses of apostrophe, none require a space when it appears at the end or in the middle of a word. Obviously, if the apostrophe is at the beggining of a word a space is there to separate the words.
Said with almost total confidence!
Alan
Alan, yes, they’re talking handwriting.
Hmmm… when I write can’t in cursive, the tail of the ‘n’ doesn’t connect to the upstroke of the ‘t’. It’s not a real space, just a small break between the letters. I’m pretty sure that’s the way we were shown how to do it all those years ago, way back in the late 70s. Write the ‘can’ then the apostrophe, and then the final ‘t’…
I have taught English for 34 years. In cursive writing, there is to be a separation of letters/space when an apostrophe is required.
I think it is wonderful that some teachers still demand perfection.
No resources online indicate whether it’s one way or the other. I didn’t find anything in my style manuals. This WikiAnswer is all I could find, but the response doesn’t back it up with support.
The fact it doesn’t appear in the style guides tells me that it’s a non-issue. Some people do it one way and some do it the other.
Isn’t the purpose of cursive writing to write faster than print? If that is the case then putting a space, no matter how small, is counterproductive.
Just became aware of this practice today, when another (Grade 6) teacher at the school where I work insists on the space.
I conducted a little survey, and most of the teachers I asked said they leave a space
I’m with Brian Kelley:speed is the key!
Cheers
Elizabeth Diacos (Australia)
My nine year old is in third grade. She had a spelling test on apostrophe today. She wrote in cursive but she didn’t leave a space, so she got all of them wrong. She always makes a 100 on her spelling test. Do you think I’m wrong to go and say something.
An apostrophe without a space is called an accent. Food for thoughts.
Marc
@Marc, accents appear over a letter — not a space. Or is there something else you mean? Maybe point to a resource?
You need to leave a gap when using an apostrophe. Otherwise it is wrong. Most teachers don’t teach it. But they should.
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