When do Years Need an Apostrophe?

Bidding farewell to 2011 and starting 2012 is a great time to consider how to express years when you write. Here are some examples:

  • The 1960s were years of political activism.
  • He refurbished a car from the 1940s.
  • She found her 1980s cheerleading sweater in the attic.

Note that when you refer to a period of time in terms of a decade (the 1960s, the 1940s, the 1970s), you do not insert an apostrophe before the s.

Year can be made possessive
But when the year is specific and can designate possession, you add an apostrophe:

  • During 1962’s Olympic games in Rome, Wilma Rudolph distinguished herself as the first American woman to win three gold medals.
  • Funds raised this year surpassed 2011’s efforts.
  • 1929’s stock market crash marked the beginning of the Great Depression

Because it is not desirable to start a sentence with a number, this last example would be better expressed this way: The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

In general, do not use an apostrophe when you are referring to a decade span of time. When you get specific about a particular year with a possessive construction, an apostrophe is appropriate.

Ruthless Editor follows The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law guidelines for word and punctuation usage. Webster's New World College Dictionary serves as a secondary reference.

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