The Reading / Listening - Apostrophe - Level 4

A man who campaigned for better use of the apostrophe has quit his decades-long battle. John Richards, 96, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001. He wrote: "Fewer organisations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in English. We have done our best, but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won." He said many people supported him, "but the barbarians have won".

Mr Richards started the society after seeing the "same mistakes over and over again". He hoped some people would join him, but he received support and letters from all over the world. His biggest beef was people not using the apostrophe at all. He criticised big companies for this. In the UK, Lloyds Bank stopped using the apostrophe in its name. Mr Richards may be happy with the burger chain McDonald's but not with Starbucks.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Apostrophe - Level 5 or  Apostrophe - Level 6

Sources
  • https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/02/society-protect-apostrophes-shuts-barbarians-11252244/
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/apostrophe-protection-society-john-richards-grammar-lazy-a9229106.html
  • https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/apostrophe-warrior-gives-up-fight/news-story/04b0858fcec41e6ea4477046d0fa8f09


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A man who
  2. quit his decades-
  3. organisations and
  4. use of the apostrophe
  5. We have done our
  6. the ignorance
  7. present in modern
  8. the barbarians have
  1. in English
  2. long battle
  3. won
  4. best
  5. campaigned
  6. times
  7. and laziness
  8. individuals

Paragraph 2

  1. Mr Richards started
  2. over and over
  3. He hoped some people
  4. he received support
  5. His biggest
  6. people not using the apostrophe
  7. stopped using the apostrophe in
  8. the burger
  1. beef
  2. and letters
  3. its name
  4. at all
  5. would join him
  6. the society
  7. chain McDonald's
  8. again

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A man who (1) ___________________ use of the apostrophe has quit his (2) ___________________. John Richards, 96, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001. He wrote: "Fewer (3) ___________________ are now caring about (4) ___________________ of the apostrophe in English. We have done our best, but the (5) ___________________ present in modern times have won." He said many people supported him, "but (6) ___________________ won".

Mr Richards started the society after seeing the "(7) ___________________ and over again". He hoped some people (8) ___________________, but he received support and letters (9) ___________________ the world. His biggest beef was people not using the (10) ___________________. He criticised big companies for this. In the UK, Lloyds Bank stopped (11) ___________________ in its name. Mr Richards may be (12) ___________________ burger chain McDonald's but not with Starbucks.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Amanwhocampaignedforbetteruseoftheapostrophehasquithisdeca
des-longbattle.JohnRichards,96,startedtheApostropheProtectionS
ocietyin2001.Hewrote:"Fewerorganisationsandindividualsarenowc
aringaboutthecorrectuseoftheapostropheinEnglish.Wehavedoneou
rbest,buttheignoranceandlazinesspresentinmoderntimeshavewon.
"Hesaidmanypeoplesupportedhim,"butthebarbarianshavewon".Mr
Richardsstartedthesocietyafterseeingthe"samemistakesoverandov
eragain".Hehopedsomepeoplewouldjoinhim,buthereceivedsupport
andlettersfromallovertheworld.Hisbiggestbeefwaspeoplenotusingt
heapostropheatall.Hecriticisedbigcompaniesforthis.IntheUK,Lloyds
Bankstoppedusingtheapostropheinitsname.MrRichardsmaybehapp
ywiththeburgerchainMcDonald'sbutnotwithStarbucks.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You