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Following on from a typical Daily Mail article I was pointed in the direction of earlier today, I thought it may be an idea to test the forum users to see how their use of apostrophes measures up.

The article was about teachers not being able to use apostrophes correctly, although the sample test they put in also includes a couple of questions which highlight the misuse of similar words.

Try not to cheat by going to the Mail website or buying a copy (eurgh, filth).  It may also help if you don't explain your answers, as this will affect the answers of people who do the test after you.  This is a simple multiple choice test, not an essay ...

Off you go, and good luck!  (Answers to come later).

1. Which of the following is correct:

A. The Smiths' house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it
B. The Smiths's house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it
C. The Smiths house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it
D. The Smith's house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it

2. Which of the following is correct:

A. Your perfectly within your rights
B. You're perfectly within your rights
C. You're perfectly within you're rights

3. Which of the following is correct:

A. My monies on David's cricket team
B. My moneys on Davids cricket team
C. My monies' on David's cricket team
D. My money's on David's cricket team
E. My moneys on Davids cricket team

4. Which of the following is correct:

A. The 70's was a great decade for music
B. The 70s' was a great decade for music
C. The 70s was a great decade for music

5. Choose the correct word from the alternatives given in bold:

I implied/inferred/ensued from his art collection that he was extremely wealthy

6. And again:

She implied/inferred/ensued to Susan that Dennis wasn't her first husband

7. Which is correct:

A. They gave the girls and I a typing test at the interview
B. They gave the girls and me a typing test at the interview

8. Which is correct:

A. Chris and me were puzzled at the outcome of the research
B. Chris and I were puzzled at the outcome of the research

9. Choose the correct word from the alternatives given:

He doubted he would be able to affect/effect significant change without the cooperation of the team

10.  And again:

Either of the two main options would affect/effect the environment adversely

P.S. no smartarses need point out that a comma should not come before "and" in the answers in question 1.

I pasted it from the website, and it's a debatable subject anyway among language students.

1.
A. The Smiths' house is a disused windmill, and they are delighted with it

2
B. You're perfectly within your rights

3.
D. My money's on David's cricket team

4.
A. The 70's was a great decade for music

5.
I inferred from his art collection that he was extremely wealthy

6.
She implied to Susan that Dennis wasn't her first husband

7.
B. They gave the girls and me a typing test at the interview

8.
B. Chris and I were puzzled at the outcome of the research

9.
He doubted he would be able to effect significant change without the cooperation of the team

10.
Either of the two main options would affect the environment adversely

1. D
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. inferred
6. implied
7. B
8. B
9. affect (I never get these right)
10. effect (ditto)

Never my strong point but here we go.

1D
2B
3D
4A
5 inferred
6 implied
7B
8B
9 effect
10 affect

1.A
2.B
3.D
4.A
5.Inferred (Not sure though)
6.Implied  (As above)
7.A
8.B
9.Effect
10.Affect