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.
Punctuation enthusiasts often react strongly to grammatical errors, such as the misuse of "its" and "it's." The sentence "Thank God its Friday" without the necessary apostrophe can evoke not just disappointment but a visceral emotional response. This illustrates the deep-seated passion many individuals have for proper punctuation and grammar.
Lynne Truss, in her book "Eats, Shoots & Leaves," emphasizes that confusing the possessive form "its" with the contraction "it's" signals a lack of understanding of basic grammar rules. This oversight can provoke a fierce reaction from those who value linguistic precision, highlighting the significant role punctuation plays in effective communication.
