Apostrophes have two main functions. They are used to show a relationship where one thing belongs to another. They are also used in contractions when two words are pushed together and a letter or two are left out. Apostrophes and Possessives Do you ever wonder why some non-native speakers have such a colorful way of expressing themselves? English speakers are a lazy lot. If there is a way to shorten something, we’ll do it. Instead of saying, The book that belongs to Mary is on the table, English speakers say, Mary’s book is on the table. The apostrophe s is shorthand for belongs to. Let’s try another one. After school…