I hadn't seen a response to a column like that since the religion series. Readers seem to want an English refresher, a more serious version of "Mr. Language Person's" regular appearance in the Miami Herald. While Dave Barry's column was satirical, mine won't seek to poke fun, but review grammar and word usage commonly misused, as one reader pointed out, even in this newspaper. Hey, journalists and ad reps are people too.

Readers of Press business writer Nils Rosdahl may have noticed that he has a little "Mr. Language" in him too, dangling on the end of his columns. Not to steal any thunder, Nils; just adding length. Maybe our attempts can work in tandem, with the help of reader suggestions for Mrs. Language. Of those I've already received a good dozen or so; please keep them coming.

Speaking of reader suggestions, I'll start with one: Plurals vs. possessives, a mistaken switcheroo made so much more often in recent years that it's becoming the norm. I'm talking s vs. 's. When should you use an apostrophe?

It's pretty straightforward. If the "s" shows ownership - as in "Sholeh's inane column" or "Rosdahl's masterpiece" - use an apostrophe with the "s." If not, don't use one.

So if the "s" is instead transforming a singular word into plural - as in "Sholeh writes awful columns" or "Rosdahl likes tacos" - no apostrophe is needed. In general, an apostrophe is only used for two reasons: (1) to show a possessive; and (2) to substitute for missing letters. An example of the latter use is "don't." In that case the apostrophe stands in for the missing "o" in not; "do not" is shortened to "don't."

Now, speaking of "s" and apostrophes, the subject isn't yet fully explored. Next time, a full column devoted to "its" and "it's." Down the pike readers have asked for "your and you're," new/odd words and phrases (e.g., man cave), adverbs and -ly, the loss of spelling (why should night become "nite?"), dangling prepositions (are not where it's at), and pronouns (e.g., she vs. her).

That ought to be enough to "keep this baby boomer on her toes," right Mrs. B?

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network, with no relationship to Mr. Language Person, nor a desire to one-up him. How's that for bad grammar? Contact her at sholehjo@hotmail.com.