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To those who care about punctuation, a sentence such as…

“To those who care about punctuation, a sentence such as "Thank God its Friday" (without the apostrophe) rouses feelings not only of despair but of violence. The confusion of the possessive "its" (no apostrophe) with the contractive "it's" (with apostrophe) is an unequivocal signal of illiteracy…” quote by Lynne Truss
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“To those who care about punctuation, a sentence such as "Thank God its Friday" (without the apostrophe) rouses feelings not only of despair but of violence. The confusion of the possessive "its" (no apostrophe) with the contractive "it's" (with apostrophe) is an unequivocal signal of illiteracy and sets off a Pavlovian "kill" response in the average stickler.”

Lynne Truss

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Incorrect punctuation signals ignorance and can provoke strong negative reactions.

In simple terms: Misusing "its" vs "it's" shows poor literacy.

Key Takeaway

Pay attention to punctuation.

Themes

language punctuation literacy communication

Mood

informative concerned

Type

educational observational

When to use this quote

  • writing
  • editing
  • teaching
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

grammar social perception cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why does punctuation matter socially?
  • How can we teach proper usage effectively?
A Different Perspective

May overstate emotional impact.

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