Related Articles

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  Christmas Public Service Announcement

  5798 readersIt's probably a little bit late for this, but I thought I would extend a public-service announcement related to holiday cards. If you are signing your family's name on the card, do not use an apostrophe. Even if your last name ends in "y." I'm probably preaching to the choir, but this seemed relevent for

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  Right 50 Percent of the Time

  3254 readersThis Goodwill store in Michigan got the punctuation right on two of the four signs. Interestingly, the Spanish is correct in all four signs.Thanks to Alan for sending in these apostrophe catastrophes. According to Alan, second-hand store sales are booming, so they ought to splurge on a proofreader. Check out his website here.

• 10 Websites and Blogs of Punctuation Protectors

  15948 readersIn honor of National Punctuation Day, commemorated on September 24 (you didn’t forget, did you?), here’s a directory of Web sites documenting, usually with photographs, egregious punctuation errors. First, by the way, note that the founder of National Punctuation Day, a freelance business-newsletter writer named Jeff Rubin, sponsors a Punctuation Paragraph Contest. The only rule is

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  Best Authors and Parents Ever

  1050 readersToday's apostrophe catastrophe comes to us from my parents, who are both authors and who are both awesome, so I'm taking an opportunity to shamelessly promote them.My mom writes, "We, Becky’s parents, were horrified (and delighted at the same time) to encounter an apostrophe catastrophe on this road sign on a rural road in Oregon.

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  How to Prepare for the Rapture

  4981 readersWith the end of the world happening tomorrow, this may be the last apostrophe catastrophe I will ever post. It's a Friday and there's really nothing we can do about the impending apocalypse, so today's catastrophe will involve alcohol. Obviously.Besides the obvious apostrophe catastrophe in margarita's, every day should be two words. This restaurant's website

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  Parisian Sex Shop Catastrophe

  3321 readersEmily, who is teaching English in Paris, found this apostrophe catastrophe in a sex shop in Paris. She writes, "My friends were more amused by the fact that sperm fancy dress outfits even exist, but as you can see I was disgusted by the punctuation." "Even super heroes can't punctuate," Emily points out. Practice safe punctuation, please,

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  I Wish It Was the ’60s, I Wish We Could Be Happy

  1531 readersHeather sent in an adorable example of an apostrophe catastrophe that she found in a book called Hippie Artifacts.I love stuff like this! If I had a print of this poster, I would totally frame it and put it up in my apartment, even with the apostrophe catastrophe. That says a lot. Thanks, Heather!

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  Sundae’s, Sundae’s, Sundae’s!

  1064 readersMy friend/former co-worker Fiona found this apostrophe catastrophe in Hampton Beach, NH:If you look closely, you can see the same sign reflected in the glass of the freezer. It's a lovely photo but a hideous apostrophe catastrophe.Thanks, Fiona!

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  I Regresty to Inform You

  1559 readersMelinda sent in an apostrophe catastrophe that she found on Regretsy, which I bet is a goldmine for punctuation errors. The name of the site also makes me think of a woman from the movie theater where I worked in high school who once said, in a thick Boston accent, "I regret winter." Because

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  We Are Quite Appalled

  1311 readersLauren spotted this egregious punctuation error at Harrods in London.How shockingly un-posh! What would the queen say if she saw it?Thanks, Lauren!