What needed correcting there? The problem is with the apostrophe. Remember the rule? The apostrophe goes at the end of the name, followed by the letter –s. What is the name here? Of course, it should be Collins (with an –s at the end). So the corrected sign should read:

Collins’ Snackette. (Correct)

Sometimes, though, when the name ends with the letter –s, we add the apostrophe AND another –s. For example, Keats’s poetry, Dickens’s novels, Mohandas’s cricket bat, and Venus’s garden.

So how do we know which form to use? The best answer I’ve heard to that question is that we need to listen to what people say. Would they say, “It’s Carl Sobers’s (SOBERSIZ) house”? Probably not. We’d say “Carl Sobers’ (SOBERS) house”, wouldn’t we?

But whether or not you add that second –s after the apostrophe, remember that the apostrophe comes after the FULL name—even when that name ends with an –s.

USING THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

To form the past perfect tense of the verb, use the past tense of the verb have plus the past participle: e.g. I had taken, you had spent, he had walked.

When we are talking about two events in the past, we use the past perfect for the earlier of the two events. For example:

Marcus had been a swimming instructor for several years before he was selected to train the national squad.

Sylvia had eaten most of the sandwiches before she realised that they were intended for her cousins too.

We also use this tense in reported speech. For example:

Dianne told us that she had seen a pair of toucans flying over the village. (i.e., she had seen the toucans before she told us about it)

Following the examples given here, put the verbs in the following sentences into the correct past tense:

1. Simone (tell) her uncle that she (apply) to train as a nurse.

2. At breakfast, Devon (complain) that he (not sleep) very well.

3. As the bus moved off, Sunika (realize) that she (forget) to put any money in her bag.

4. In court the elderly man (confess) that he (not spend) the night at home. 5. Rohan (explain) to us that he (write) to the authorities about the matter. 6. Zoe (write) to the Ministry explaining why she (is) late for work. 7. Anand (speak) to his classmates, reminding them that he (go) to a lot of trouble to organize the event.

8. We (doubt) that the organizers (do) anything about the problems we (discuss).

9. Monique (deny) the accusation that she (snatch) the gold chain.

10. Sam (inform) her boss that several items (disappear) from the store.

ANSWERS