Quiz: Todays vs Today’s
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Todays vs today’s confuses writers because “today” does not behave like a normal noun. You cannot have more than one “today,” so the usual plural instinct that adds an s without an apostrophe leads people astray here.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| today | This current day | Adverb / noun | I have a meeting today. |
| today’s | Belonging to today (possessive) | Possessive noun | Today’s headline grabbed everyone’s attention. |
| todays | Not a standard word in regular prose | Nonstandard spelling | Avoid: “Todays forecast is sunny.” |
What does “today’s” mean?
“Today’s” is the possessive form of “today,” showing that something belongs to or is associated with the current day. The apostrophe plus s works the same way it does for any other singular noun, like “the dog’s bone” or “the company’s policy.”
You will see it everywhere in headlines and everyday writing: “today’s weather,” “today’s news,” “today’s date.” In every one of these, something, weather, news, a date, belongs to today specifically.
Is “todays” ever correct?
In ordinary sentences, no. “Today” refers to a single, specific day, so it does not have a true plural the way countable nouns like “dog” or “car” do. Writing “todays” to mean more than one “today” does not make logical sense.
You may occasionally see “todays” in deliberately informal styles, such as some headline writing or social captions, used loosely in place of “today’s.” Outside of that casual shorthand, standard English always calls for the apostrophe.
Why Does “Today” Need an Apostrophe for the Possessive?
English generally forms the possessive of a singular noun by adding an apostrophe and an s, regardless of whether the noun describes a person, a thing or a concept like time. “Today” follows that same standard rule.
The same pattern applies to other time words: “yesterday’s news,” “tomorrow’s forecast,” “tonight’s event.” None of these time words take a plain s without an apostrophe when showing possession.
Todays vs Today’s: How Can You Remember Which One to Use?
Ask whether something belongs to today. If the next word is a noun that today “owns,” like weather, news or schedule, add the apostrophe and s: “today’s.”
If you are tempted to write “todays” as a plural, remember that today cannot be counted the way objects can. There is only ever one today, so the apostrophe-free plural almost never applies.
What are common mistakes with todays vs today’s?
- ✗ Todays weather is sunny.
✓ Today’s weather is sunny. - ✗ Check out todays specials.
✓ Check out today’s specials. - ✗ I’ll see you todays.
✓ I’ll see you today. - ✗ Todays’ meeting was rescheduled.
✓ Today’s meeting was rescheduled. - ✗ We compared todays numbers to yesterdays.
✓ We compared today’s numbers to yesterday’s.
What are some memory tricks?
- One today, one apostrophe: since there’s only ever one today, treat it like any singular possessive noun.
- The ownership test: if you can say “the weather of today,” you can say “today’s weather.”
- Match the family: yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s all take the same apostrophe pattern.
Frequently asked questions
Is “todays” ever grammatically correct?
Not in standard sentences. “Today” has no true plural, so “today’s” with an apostrophe is the form you want when showing possession.
When do I use “today’s” versus just “today”?
Use “today’s” when something belongs to today, as in “today’s news.” Use plain “today” as an adverb or noun on its own, as in “I’m busy today.”
Does the same apostrophe rule apply to “yesterday” and “tomorrow”?
Yes. “Yesterday’s” and “tomorrow’s” follow the identical possessive pattern as “today’s.”
Is “todays'” with the apostrophe after the s ever correct?
No. Since “today” is singular and has no standard plural, the apostrophe always goes before the s: “today’s,” not “todays’.”
Why do people write “todays” by mistake?
It often happens because writers apply the ordinary plural pattern (adding just an s) out of habit, without pausing to check whether a possessive apostrophe is actually needed.
Conclusion
The difference in todays vs today’s comes down to one small mark: “today’s” takes the apostrophe whenever something belongs to today, and plain “todays” has no real place in standard writing. Keep the ownership test in mind and you’ll never misplace that apostrophe again. Share this with someone who mixes these up, then retake the quiz above to see what stuck.