Today’s or Todays? Unraveling the Apostrophe Mystery

The English language is full of quirks, and one of the most perplexing issues that many encounter is the use of apostrophes. You’ve probably seen words like “today’s” or “todays” written in different contexts, but what’s the real difference? Does one require an apostrophe while the other does not? And when should you use each one?

In this article, we’ll explore the mystery of today’s or todays, clearing up the confusion with plenty of examples, including emails and scenarios you might encounter in daily life.

Understanding the Apostrophe

The apostrophe is a small but mighty punctuation mark that serves two main purposes in English:

1. To show possession.
2. To form contractions.

For example:

• Possession: “This is John’s book.”
• Contraction: “It’s (it is) a beautiful day.”

But what about today’s vs. todays?

What is Today’s?

The word today’s is a possessive form of today, indicating that something belongs to today or is related to today. In most cases, today’s refers to something happening, occurring, or belonging to the current day.

Scenario Example: Today’s Meeting

Imagine you’re sending an email to your colleague:

Subject: Today’s Meeting Agenda

Dear Sarah,

I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to remind you about today’s meeting at 3 PM. We’ll be discussing the new marketing strategy, and I’ve attached the agenda for your review.

Looking forward to our discussion.

Best regards,
John

Here, today’s shows that the meeting belongs to today, which is why you need the apostrophe.

Example 2: Today’s Session

If you’re sending a quick note to a friend about a class:

Subject: Today’s Session

Hi Mark,

Just a heads-up, today’s session on data analytics will start at 2 PM. Don’t forget to bring your laptop!

Best,
Anna

Again, we use today’s with an apostrophe to indicate that the session belongs to today.

What About Todays?

Todays, on the other hand, doesn’t require an apostrophe, because it’s not indicating possession. Todays is generally used as the plural form of today, but this usage is rare and often incorrect.

In most cases, todays is not grammatically correct. In fact, when you see todays without an apostrophe, it’s often a mistake. English does not have a plural form of the word “today.” Instead, we simply use today in all situations, even when referring to more than one instance or occurrence of the day.

Incorrect Usage: Todays Meeting

If someone were to write:

“Todays meeting is scheduled for 3 PM.”

This would be an error. The correct phrase is today’s meeting, with an apostrophe to show possession.

What About Using Todays for Plurals?

Sometimes, people mistakenly believe that todays can be used in sentences like:

• “I can’t believe how many things have happened in these past few todays.”

However, this is incorrect. English doesn’t use the plural form todays. Instead, the correct way to express this would be:

• “I can’t believe how much has happened over the past few days.”

Common Questions and Scenarios

Now, let’s break down some specific questions you might have:

1. Does todays have an apostrophe?

No, todays does not need an apostrophe because it’s not a possessive form. It’s best to avoid using it altogether. Instead, use today’s if you’re referring to something belonging to today or happening on this day.

2. Today’s meeting or todays meeting?

The correct form is today’s meeting. The apostrophe indicates that the meeting belongs to today. Todays meeting is incorrect.

3. Today’s session meaning?

When we say today’s session, we’re talking about a specific session that is taking place today, such as a class, meeting, or event.

4. Today’s activities or today’s activity?

Both are correct, depending on the context.

• Use today’s activities when referring to multiple events happening today (e.g., “Today’s activities include a team meeting and a lunch break”).
• Use today’s activity when referring to a single event (e.g., “My today’s activity is going to the gym”).

5. Today’s date

This is the correct form when you want to refer to the current date:

• “Let me check today’s date—it’s March 9th.”

6. Today or today’s class?

• Today’s class refers specifically to the class that is happening today. For example, “Today’s class will focus on advanced grammar.”
• Today alone doesn’t specify a class but refers to the entire day.

When to Use the Apostrophe

You use an apostrophe with today’s in situations where you’re showing possession or describing something that belongs to today. Here are some more examples:

1. Today’s weather (The weather for today).
2. Today’s news (The news of today).
3. Today’s agenda (The agenda for today’s meeting).
4. Today’s schedule (The schedule for today).
5. Today’s plan (The plan for today).
6. Today’s highlight (The most important event today).

Scenario Example: Today’s Activities

If you’re sending a reminder to a colleague about activities for the day:

Subject: Today’s Activities Reminder

Dear Lisa,

Here’s a quick rundown of today’s activities:

• 10 AM: Client call
• 12 PM: Team lunch
• 2 PM: Review of the project proposal

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Mark

This email uses today’s with an apostrophe to indicate that these events belong to today.

Key Differences Recap

• Today’s with an apostrophe shows possession (something that belongs to today).
• Todays without an apostrophe is incorrect in most cases. There’s no plural form of today.

Important Points to Remember

Here are 20 key points to keep in mind about today’s and todays:

1. Use today’s when referring to something that belongs to today.
2. Never use todays without an apostrophe; it’s incorrect.
3. Today’s is always possessive, indicating something is linked to today.
4. Today’s meeting refers to a meeting happening today.
5. Today’s session means a session that will occur today.
6. Today’s date refers to the current date.
7. Today’s agenda means the agenda for today’s events.
8. Use today’s activity when referring to a singular activity for the day.
9. Use today’s activities when referring to multiple things happening today.
10. Today’s class refers to a class happening today.
11. Don’t write todays meeting—it’s incorrect.
12. Today’s weather refers to the weather conditions on the current day.
13. Don’t confuse today’s with todays—the latter is a common mistake.
14. Today’s news refers to the latest news of today.
15. Today’s schedule outlines events or tasks for today.
16. Today’s plan is the plan for today.
17. Avoid using todays as a plural form; it’s not grammatically correct.
18. Today’s highlight is the most important thing of the day.
19. You wouldn’t say todays date; you’d say today’s date.
20. Today’s activities could refer to the events, tasks, or plans for the day.

Conclusion

Understanding when to use today’s versus todays is essential for clear and grammatically correct writing. Always remember that today’s is possessive, meaning something belongs to today, while todays is usually an error and should be avoided.

By following these rules, you’ll be able to write with confidence and clarity, ensuring that your messages are both accurate and professional. Happy writing!