1. Would you use an apostrophe if you were to write about the four children who live next door? No, you would write - The four boys live next door. Yes, you would write - The four boy’s live next door. Yes, you would write - The four boys’ live next door. Yes, you would write - The four boys live nex’t door.

2. Enough is enough! It’s time to write and complain about the neighbour’s sons. Before penning your final letter, you have to work out if your apostrophes are correct - of the following sentences, which one is the only one you got right first time? Your son’s are always shouting loudly. The boys frizbee is still stuck on my garage roof. You're oldest boy’s encourages his brothers to misbehave. The boys’ football is always ending up in my garden.

3. The oldest boy is most definitely the ringleader, and you want to make sure your neighbour is aware of this. Of the following, which sentence uses apostrophes incorrectly? I believe James to be the ringleader and that he incites his brothers’ bad behaviour. All the boys follow James’ example. James is the worst of all the boy’s as he encourages them to misbehave. The boys’ behaviour is made worse with James’ encouragement.

4. Sadly, your neighbour is not happy to receive your letter, and writes back to you defending his sons. In his letter you notice he writes “It’s a shame you don’t keep as close a watch on your dog and its behaviour” and wonder if he wrote it properly. Did he? Yes No

5. You are not sure what to do now, because you don’t want a full-scale war with your neighbour, so you write a note to your brother, asking him what he would advise you to do. Once written, you look at your note and wonder how to phrase one particular sentence. Which of these should you choose? As for my dog, well you know it’s getting senile, but its still loveable. As for my dog, well you know its getting senile, but its still loveable. As for my dog, well you know its getting senile, but it’s still loveable. As for my dog, well you know it’s getting senile, but it’s still loveable.

6. As you continue your note to your brother, you get slightly carried away and start complaining about the music played in the house next door. You are not too sure how to write the plural of CD so you chicken out and write ‘records’ instead, as if they were playing old vinyl records still! How ought you to have written this sentence? They play their CD’s on full blast every afternoon when they get home from school. They play their C’Ds on full blast every afternoon when they get home from school. They play their CDs’ on full blast every afternoon when they get home from school. They play their CDs on full blast every afternoon when they get home from school.

7. When your brother writes back to you, he starts talking as if he had turned into a mathematician overnight, and is talking about X equals Y and stuff like that which you don’t understand. You do, however, notice that he does not use an apostrophe when he writes: “There are any number of Xs involved here, and you must remember that you live next door to these people.” Was your brother right not to include an apostrophe when he wrote this? Yes No

8. Deciding that your brother wrote a lot of sense, you decide to make friends with your neighbour and write to invite him to come around for dinner. Knowing that you are of an age, you decide to make it a bit of a themed occasion and write that you will be playing music from a certain decade (if it is OK with him), but how do you write this? Music from the 1970s Music from the 1970s’ Music from the 1970’s Music from the 19seventy’s

9. The note you get back from your neighbour the next day makes you believe in people again. He very nicely agreed to come for dinner with his wife, and said that he was fine with your choice of music. You notice that he used the apostrophe correctly in his letter - but which of these sentences did he write? We both love music from the 70’s and the late 60’s. We both love music from the ’70’s and the late ’60’s. We both love music from the 70s’ and the late 60s’. We both love music from the ’70s and the late ’60s.

10. Delighted by the new friendship which seems to be growing, you write to thank your brother for his advice, and include a sentence which you know for certain has correct apostrophe use. Which of these did you write in your note? I dont know how to thank you for your advice about the boys’ behaviour. Could I borrow your CDs? I dont know how to thank you for your advice about the boys’ behaviour. Could I borrow your CD’s? I don’t know how to thank you for your advice about the boys behaviour. Could I borrow your CD’s? I don’t know how to thank you for your advice about the boys’ behaviour. Could I borrow your CDs?