However, the use of an apostrophe can indicate different parts of speech. Here's how:
* Contractions: Apostrophes are used to show that letters have been omitted in contractions (e.g., "don't" for "do not," "it's" for "it is"). In these cases, the apostrophe replaces the missing letters and the entire contraction functions as a single word, usually a verb.
* Possessives: Apostrophes are used to indicate possession (e.g., "the dog's bone," "the children's toys"). In this case, the apostrophe marks the noun that possesses something, which can be a noun (e.g., "dog") or a pronoun (e.g., "it's").
* Plurals of letters and numbers: Apostrophes are used to form the plurals of letters and numbers (e.g., "A's," "1980s"). In these cases, the apostrophe marks the plural form of the letter or number, which acts as a noun.
So, while apostrophes themselves aren't parts of speech, they can be used to indicate different parts of speech depending on their function within a sentence.