A unique aspect of the English language is how apostrophes get added to words in specific situations. They might look like commas, but this addition serves a different purpose.
The goal of the apostrophe is to communicate that a letter or letters are missing from a word. It can also be used to designate possession of something.
“I just found Bobby’s desk after putting all the clothes away.”
“I mustn’t let him know that I found the letter from his girlfriend.”
“Will he be upset if I read his girlfriend’s letter?”
The apostrophe is tricky to learn when a plural noun requires a possessive note in the sentence. In that situation, it would follow the “s” in the word to indicate that the item in question belongs to everything or everyone mentioned.
Week’s, Weeks’, or Weeks? Which Is Correct?
When comparing “week’s,” “weeks’,” and “weeks,” you are looking at two possessive notations and a single pluralized noun. “Week’s” indicates that one week has possession of something. With “weeks’,” you’re showing that multiple weeks have ownership. “Weeks” merely refers to “more than one week.”
The best way to think about the differences between week’s, weeks’, and weeks is to think about its description and what possession occurs in the sentence.
Here are some examples to review involving those three options.
| Week’s | ▪️ In a week’s time, I hope to have learned what I can about crazy apostrophes. ▪️ This week’s session involves a more challenging yoga position than the ones we’ve previously practiced. ▪️ In a week’s span, we hope to have the entire room remodeled. |
| Weeks’ | ▪️ My mortgage lender requires me to receive four weeks’ notice before I can start the process of selling my home. ▪️ This job requires three weeks’ training and a six-month probation period before I can work independently. ▪️ I have six weeks’ practice before I am allowed to take the exam. |
| Weeks | ▪️ This problem has been going on for weeks now, and I’m no closer to a solution. ▪️ We have been working on corner kicks at practices for the past three weeks. ▪️ My shipment of tea from Japan is expected to arrive anywhere from four to six weeks from now. |
In the English language, any noun can possess something. When this action occurs, we must add an apostrophe and an “s” to it to indicate that fact to the reader or the listener.
The apostrophe’s placement depends on the plurality of the nouns involved. In the case of week’s, weeks’, or weeks, you’ll discover that it is easier to eliminate the “comma in the sky” for plural nouns than to include it.
When Would I Take the Apostrophe Away from “Weeks’?”
One week is a time measurement reference that indicates seven days. Each one is a block of those 24-hour periods, along with the minutes or seconds contained in them all.
When you say that you’re giving two weeks’ notice, you’re providing possession of the information to those time blocks.
Although that makes the sentence look a little awkward from the table of examples above, it is the grammatically correct method of indicating the situation.
You don’t need to use “weeks’” in a sentence if you slightly alter its format. For most situations, adding the word “of” eliminates the need to use the apostrophe entirely.
Let’s take a look at how those example sentences would look with this simple change.
- My mortgage lender requires me to receive four weeks of notice before I can start the process of selling my home.
- This job requires three weeks of training and a six-month probation period before I can work independently.
- I have six weeks of practice before I am allowed to take the exam.
As you can see, this group of example sentences conveys the exact same meaning to the reader or listener as the ones from the table.
You can restructure the sentence to convey the same information while eliminating the apostrophe if that feels preferable.
- In four weeks, I must give notice to my mortgage lender before I can start the process of selling my home.
- There are three weeks of training and six months of probation necessary before working independently at my new job.
- I hope to be able to take the exam after completing six weeks of practice sessions.
It is up to the author or speaker to determine what communication style to use in this situation. Some people prefer to include introductory phrases, while others want to eliminate the apostrophe whenever possible.
Why Does the Apostrophe Rule Apply to Possessive Nouns?
A possessive noun speaks of ownership. Adding the apostrophe helps a reader understand specific attribution aspects that make it easier to follow along with the topic.
These nouns are almost always in front of the item it owns during sentence construction.
A plural noun becomes possessive by adding the apostrophe at the word’s end. There are some exceptions to this rule when a plural noun becomes a different word, such as goose vs. geese.
For those unusual circumstances, you might need to change how the subject gets stated to convey accurate information. If you have geese that require an ownership notation, it might be easier to say it was the flock’s item instead.
The choice of structure is up to the speaker or author. If it sounds good or feels right when relaying information to others, it’s likely the best option. That’s why understanding the differences between week’s vs. weeks’ vs. weeks is essential for accurate communication.
When Should I Use Week’s, Weeks’, or Weeks?
A noun possessive communicates a piece of specific information set to readers or listeners regarding ownership. It eliminates the ambiguity that occurs when ideas, items, or concepts belong to the subject. When there isn’t any possession to denote, the apostrophe is no longer needed for the noun.
Understanding how apostrophes communicate information about possession is a critical component of understanding the English language’s battle with precision.
When you eliminate or misplace an apostrophe, that action alters the entire meaning of the sentence. It changes the subject from singular to plural.