Happy International Apostrophe Day!

Today, 15 August, is International Apostrophe Day – a day on which we invite everyone to spare a thought for one of the smallest, hardest-working and most frequently misunderstood punctuation marks in the English language.

And this year we have an extra reason to celebrate: 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Apostrophe Protection Society.

The APS was founded in 2001 by the late journalist and sub-editor John Richards, who had become increasingly concerned about the misuse, and sometimes complete disappearance, of the apostrophe. What began as one man's campaign soon attracted interest and support from around the world.

John announced the closure of the Society in 2019, prompting widespread media coverage and a surprising amount of dismay from apostrophe enthusiasts everywhere. But the story didn't end there. The APS was relaunched in 2022 and today has more than 5,000 members around the world, all united by an interest in clear written English – and, of course, a certain affection for the apostrophe.

Still campaigning

The relaunched APS isn't simply an organisation that points out other people's mistakes. We provide straightforward guidance on apostrophe use, answer questions from members and visitors to our website, and try to encourage good written English through explanation rather than criticism.

We also campaign when we think an apostrophe deserves a little help. Over the past few years, that has included some high-profile – and widely reported – exchanges with local authorities over apostrophes on road signs and street names, and with companies over their use of apostrophes in public signage and communications.

Sometimes we succeed. Sometimes we don't. But we keep trying.

And then there's the Rogues' Gallery…

Of course, we couldn't celebrate International Apostrophe Day without mentioning one of the most popular parts of our website: the Rogues' Gallery.

Members and visitors regularly send us photographs of apostrophes that have gone missing, appeared where they shouldn't, or simply seem to have wandered into a sentence in search of somewhere to live.

We enjoy them enormously.

The Gallery isn't intended to embarrass anyone. Mistakes happen – including, occasionally, to members of the Apostrophe Protection Society. Instead, it's a light-hearted reminder of just how much confusion this tiny punctuation mark can cause.

I've updated the Rogues' Gallery with some new entries, all submitted by you, our members. Go and have a browse now!

Does the apostrophe still matter?

We certainly think so.

A misplaced apostrophe is unlikely to bring civilisation crashing down, and we're not interested in becoming the punctuation police. But punctuation has a purpose: it helps us communicate clearly.

The apostrophe tells us about possession. It tells us when letters have been omitted. And occasionally its presence, or absence, changes the meaning of what we're reading.

In an age of texts, social media, instant messaging and artificial intelligence, the way we write is changing rapidly. But the need to make ourselves understood hasn't changed at all.

So, on International Apostrophe Day, perhaps give the apostrophe a little extra attention.

Learn a rule you've never quite been sure about. Correct that sign you've been meaning to fix. Send us a photograph for the Rogues' Gallery.

Or simply raise an imaginary glass to a tiny punctuation mark that, after all these years, is still doing a remarkably useful job.

Happy International Apostrophe Day – and happy 25th anniversary to the Apostrophe Protection Society!

Best wishes,

Bob

Bob McCalden

Chairman

Apostrophe Protection Society