Question

Is the following sentence missing any apostrophes? If so, where?: The plays success can only be attributed to its lead actress excellent performance.

Answer 1

I count 2 missing. See below for where:

Explanation:

I count two that are missing.

When we talk about the play and it's success, we use an apostrophe to indicate an ownership or possession of the success by the play, and so we say:

...the play's success...

The other one that is missing is the lead actress and her excellent performance. We use an apostrophe to indicate ownership of that performance by the lead actress:

...lead actress' excellent performance.

The place where many people are tempted to put in an apostrophe is in the word "its". While an apostrophe is used to indicate ownership, it's also used to indicate a contraction (such as in the words "can't" and "don't").

With "its", without an apostrophe indicates ownership, as in our question with its lead actress - indicating ownership of the actress by the play.

With an apostrophe, or "it's", we show a contraction from it is, as in It's a fine day today