Understanding how to use words correctly, especially ones as common as today’s or todays, is essential for clear communication. Many writers stumble over whether to use an apostrophe when talking about today’s events or todays events. This article will explore when to use an apostrophe with today, the meaning of today’s, and practical tips to ensure correct usage every time.
Introduction: Why Understanding Today’s vs. Todays Matters
When it comes to English grammar, even simple words like today can trip up writers. Whether you’re composing a professional email or a casual text, knowing when to use the correct form—today’s with an apostrophe or todays without—matters. Generally, the rule is straightforward: use today’s with an apostrophe to indicate possession and omit the apostrophe only in specific, rarely used cases.
Let’s dive into the details of today’s vs todays and clear up the confusion around this common grammatical issue.
Does Today’s Need an Apostrophe?
In most cases, yes. An apostrophe is needed in today’s to show possession, meaning something belongs to or is associated with the present day. Just as we say Sarah’s book to indicate that a book belongs to Sarah, we use today’s to indicate that something belongs to today. For example, today’s news, today’s schedule, and today’s tasks all refer to things that pertain to the present day.
Without the apostrophe, todays would be incorrect in most contexts. It’s rare to see todays used without an apostrophe unless referring to multiple instances of the word “today”—a situation that rarely occurs outside of poetic or literary contexts.
The Meaning of Today’s: Why the Apostrophe Matters
The apostrophe in today’s clarifies that something is directly related to the present day. For instance, if you say, I am reading today’s newspaper, the apostrophe implies you’re referring to the newspaper of this day, not one from yesterday or tomorrow. Here are some more examples that demonstrate this possessive form:
- Correct: Today’s weather forecast predicts rain.
- Correct: I’m attending today’s meeting with my team.
- Incorrect: Todays schedule includes three important meetings.
In each of these examples, the apostrophe in today’s makes it clear that the events, schedules, or forecasts belong to the present day.
Todays Date vs Today’s Date: Correct Usage Explained
One of the most common phrases involving today’s is today’s date. Whenever referring to the date for the present day, today’s should include an apostrophe. Using todays date without an apostrophe would be grammatically incorrect. Here’s why:
- Correct Usage: What is today’s date?
- Incorrect Usage: What is todays date?
The apostrophe here signifies that the date belongs to today, making the phrase possessive. A simple way to remember this is by mentally rephrasing it as the date of today. This possessive form applies to other phrases as well, such as today’s news, today’s schedule, or today’s meeting.
Other Common Phrases Using Today’s
To fully grasp the use of today’s, it’s helpful to examine it within various common phrases. Below are some phrases where today’s is correctly used with an apostrophe:
- Today’s Special: When restaurants offer a “special” meal of the day, they will advertise it as today’s special to indicate that the special menu item is exclusive to the current day.
- Today’s Agenda: In business settings, today’s agenda lists the topics to be discussed in a meeting that day.
- Today’s Tasks: When planning your day, you might outline today’s tasks, which are the duties or objectives assigned specifically for that day.
These examples emphasize the role of today’s as a possessive form, showing ownership or connection to the current day.
Why Todays (Without Apostrophe) Is Rarely Correct
Without an apostrophe, todays could theoretically serve as a plural form of today, although this usage is almost nonexistent in modern English. In literature, one might see the plural form todays to refer to “multiple instances of today,” typically in poetic or rhetorical contexts, but this usage is rare and often confusing.
Examples of rare cases where todays might appear without an apostrophe:
- Literature or Poetry: In all our yesterdays and todays, we find ourselves repeating old habits.
- Titles or Book Names: All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai, where the plural form creates a unique and stylized meaning.
For practical purposes, however, you can assume that todays without an apostrophe is almost always incorrect.
Today’s in Action: Examples from Literature
Seeing today’s used in literature can reinforce proper usage. Here are a few well-known examples where authors use today’s to signify something that belongs to or occurs within the present day:
- “Today’s worries are yesterday’s fears and tomorrow’s stories.” – Alyson Noel, Evermore
- “The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today’s work superbly today.” – Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
These quotes exemplify how today’s serves as a possessive, adding clarity and specificity to the meaning of each sentence.
Summary Table: Todays vs Today’s
| Usage | Example | Correct Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possessive | Today’s weather is sunny. | Today’s | Shows ownership or connection to today. |
| Incorrect Form | Todays weather is sunny. | Incorrect | Lacks the apostrophe, which makes it grammatically incorrect. |
| Plural (Rare) | All our yesterdays and todays. | Todays | Only used in literary or poetic contexts. |
FAQs on Today’s vs Todays
1. Is todays grammatically correct?
No, todays without an apostrophe is rarely correct. It may be used in literary contexts but is almost always incorrect for standard English.
2. Should I use today’s date or todays date?
Use today’s date with an apostrophe to indicate that the date belongs to today.
3. Can I use todays in a sentence?
It’s best to avoid using todays without an apostrophe unless writing creatively and specifically intending to pluralize “today.”
4. What does today’s mean?
Today’s is a possessive form that means something belongs to the present day, such as today’s news or today’s weather.
5. Why is today’s spelled with an apostrophe?
The apostrophe indicates possession, showing that something is associated with the current day.
6. Can todays be plural?
While technically possible, pluralizing today as todays is unusual and best avoided in most writing.
7. Is todays a word in English?
In everyday grammar, no. Todays is generally incorrect without the apostrophe.
8. When should I not use an apostrophe with today?
Only omit the apostrophe when using “todays” poetically to mean multiple instances of “today,” though this is rare.
Conclusion: Mastering Today’s vs Todays
In summary, the possessive form today’s with an apostrophe is almost always the correct choice when referring to something belonging to the present day. Avoid using todays without an apostrophe, as it is typically grammatically incorrect. Remember, if you’re ever unsure, ask yourself whether you could rephrase the word as “the ____ of today.” This simple trick can help you quickly determine if today’s is needed in your writing.