It’s 1900s, not 1900’s. You only use an apostrophe when you’re omitting the first two digits: ‘90s, not 90’s or ‘90’s.
Why YSK: It’s an incredibly common error and can detract from academic writing as it is factually incorrect punctuation.
“Factually incorrect” is used when referring to a statement of fact (or the lack of), not incorrect punctuation, to be fair. 🤦🏼♂️
Once upon a time, apostrophes in these plurals were considered correct. If you aren’t using a particular style guide, it’s writer’s preference today.
Grammar school, at this time of day? I say! It’s not the 1900:s anymore.
The "90"s
Its importan’t, I agree.
Im th’e onl’y guy I kno’w that doe"s thes’"e
Same when you pluralize an initialism or acronym. ATMs not ATM’s. Unless it is needed for clarity. If you had the acronym “AS” you might choose AS’s instead of ASs.
Why would you not choose ASs?
Dunno, I’m an ASs man, myself.
What do the common style guides say?
As an example, I was taught to use the Oxford comma but know some style guides advise against using it.
d̶̞̩̑ͧ̍̎̌̋o͆͑͊͒̇̑́n̘̼̞ͫͮ͊̑ͥ͜’͉̗̥͇͎͔̋̃t̯̳͉͇̘̑̀ ͚̹͔̖l̻̮̅̒ͭ̂i̬̼͎̝̘̺̋ͯͬͮs̝͈͉͚ͣ̈́ͦ͒ͥͪ̈́ṱ̖̮̙̟̂ͅén̤̣̼͘ ̢̖͍̩͕͎͎̳t̐ͭ̆̽o̦̤̥̼̦ͮ̒̈̂̋̒͘ ̤̥̘͐ͨ̚t͎̀́͑̋̈́̊̇h̻̔́ͫe̷̦̫ͪ̊̊̅̐m̉͜.̓̈́ ̨̱͍̼̺͈̩̀ͩa͕̗̎̽̾̓ḷ̩̓ͣ̇w̰ͨ̐̈́ͩa̩̐y̧͖̞̮̦̱͙̮ͥ̓̆̏ͦͧ̾s̱̼͙ͪ ̺̮̠̹̀ǘ̜̝̼͙͊̿̾̿ͤͅs̷̹̥̘͓̣ͪͩ͛̍͐ͅe̱̿͊̈́̽̑͢ ̻͕̺̦͉͒̆̕o̦̬̖̹̒̽ͤͬ͠x̨͕̻̲͔̲̭̀͛̍̋̚ͅf͈̺̰̫̾̄́ͯͬ͋ͅoͤ͑̏̇̓͜r̜̺̳͕̒́̾͆d͚̰͚̻̞͓̭͌̽ͣ͒̑ ̝̯̍̌͂̅͟c̼͍͐͊̎͐̎̅o̞̪̙͈̳m̻̬̄́m̠̰̪̱͙̍ͫ̊́͝a̸ͦ̈̾̊̋s̰ͩ̒ͫͥͦ
I disagree that this is wrong, it’s up to the writer, but yes, it is not necessary. Apostrophes are not just for possession, but also for missing letters, or separating elements for clarity: such as a group of letter u’s, or separating a surname from the plural, such as the Johnson’s. It’s this last use that people apply to the year… I think the worst point is the waste of typing the ‘ in 1900’s.
It’s up to the writer. Exactly. It’s also important to remember to pick one way of doing it and do it that way consistently throughout the work you are writing for.
This is so common that I’ve actually started second-guessing myself when I write '90s
