Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

THE USE OF THE APOSTROPHE
The apostrophe (’) is frequently misused and some assessors get very
upset about this. One of the most common misuses is it’s (the
abbreviated form of ‘it is’) and its (meaning belong to it). It is amazing
how many public notices get these two mixed up. Look at these
examples of newspaper headlines:
Its a Record!   
It’s Wheels Came Off!
In the first example, ‘its’ means ‘it is’ so there should be an apostrophe:
It’s A Record!
In the second example, ‘its’ means belonging to it so there should not be
an apostrophe: Its Wheels Came Off!
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RAMMAR AND ACCURACY

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Do not confuse it’s and its: it is a bad error.
Apostrophes are usually used to:
1) denote possession and 
2) show that a word has been shortened or words combined by the
omission of letters. 
My daughter’s education has been first class. The school’s
reputation is second to none. The head’s leadership has a lot to do
with it. 
In ‘daughter’s’, ‘school’s’ and ‘head’s’ the apostrophe denotes
possession: of my daughter, of the school, of the head. 
Note, however, that when you use possessive pronouns, no apostrophes
are required: 
Theirs is over there, yours is here. Ours is black, hers is blue. 
Abbreviated form require apostrophes as in don’t, weren’t, aren’t, isn’t,
won’t, can’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t.