Many writers pause for a second when they need to type the plural of don’t. Should the apostrophe sit before the s, or does it stay in its original place? This tiny punctuation choice appears in emails, blog posts, workplace guides, and school essays every single day.
The good news is that the rule is short and easy to remember once you understand where the apostrophe truly belongs. This guide breaks down the correct spelling, explains the logic behind it, and shows you exactly how professional writers use the word in real sentences.
Quick Answer: Dont’s or Don’ts
The Short Answer
Don’ts is it. Dont’s is a spelling mistake because the apostrophe is placed in the wrong position.
Where the Apostrophe Belongs?
The apostrophe stays inside don’t, between the n and the t, because it marks the missing letters in “do not.”
Why People Get Confused?
Writers often assume the apostrophe should move before the final s to show a plural, which is how possessives usually work, but that rule does not apply here.
Why Don’ts Keeps Its Apostrophe?
Don’t is a contraction of “do not.” The apostrophe replaces the missing letters, so it already sits in its correct spot before the word is ever made plural. When you turn don’t into a plural noun meaning multiple rules or warnings, you simply add an s at the end. You do not move the apostrophe, and you do not add a second one.
This is different from regular plural nouns, where apostrophes are almost never needed. Words like “books,” “chairs,” or “rules” take a plain s. Don’t is an exception because it is a contraction first and a noun second, so its internal apostrophe travels with it into the plural form.
| Form | Correct | Explanation |
| Don’ts | Yes | Plural of the contraction don’t; apostrophe stays inside the word |
| Dont’s | No | Apostrophe is misplaced before the final s |
| Donts | No | Missing the contraction apostrophe entirely |
| Don’t’s | No | Adds an extra, unnecessary apostrophe |
What Does Don’ts Actually Mean?
Don’ts refer to actions, habits, or behaviors that people should avoid. It is almost always paired with “do’s” to describe a full set of recommended and discouraged actions in a guide, list, or set of instructions.
You will typically see the word used as a plural noun in phrases such as:
- Workplace don’ts for new employees
- Safety don’ts on a construction site
- Classroom don’ts for students
- Social media don’ts for professionals
- Travel don’ts for first time visitors
The Origin of the Word Don’t and Don’ts
Don’t first appeared as a shortened spoken form of “do not” and became a standard written contraction over time. English speakers naturally compress common phrases in casual speech, and “do not” became “don’t” for the same reason “cannot” became “can’t” and “will not” became “won’t.”
Once contractions don’t become accepted in everyday and even formal writing, they naturally need plural forms to describe lists of rules or warnings. Writers simply added an s to the existing contraction rather than inventing a new spelling pattern, which is why the apostrophe never moved.
What Grammar Experts and Style Guides Say?
Style guides consistently treat contractions and plurals as two separate grammar rules that should not be mixed. A plural noun rarely needs an apostrophe, but a contraction always keeps its apostrophe no matter what form the word takes afterward.
Editors and grammar references generally agree on a few core points:
- Apostrophes should not be used to create ordinary plurals
- Contractions retain their apostrophe even when pluralized
- Don’ts is treated as a standard, dictionary recognized plural noun
- Donts and dont’s are both flagged as errors by most grammar checking tools
Common Mistakes People Make With Don’ts
Adding an Apostrophe Before the S
Writing “dont’s” moves the apostrophe to the wrong location and breaks the original contraction.
Dropping the Apostrophe Completely
Writing “donts” removes the apostrophe altogether, which erases the contraction and creates an unrecognized word.
Adding a Second Apostrophe
Writing “don’t’s” stacks an unnecessary apostrophe onto an already correct contraction.
Mixing Styles Within One Document
Switching between correct and incorrect spellings in the same article or email looks careless and inconsistent to readers.
How to Use Don’ts Correctly in a Sentence?
Below are natural examples that show don’ts work correctly across different types of writing.
- Learn the basic don’ts of driving safely before your test.
- The manager shared a short list of communication don’ts during the meeting.
- Students should understand the key don’ts of academic writing before submitting an essay.
- The travel guide includes helpful don’ts for first time visitors.
- Every training manual should explain the do’s and don’ts of using company equipment.
Do’s and Don’ts: Spelling the Full Phrase Correctly
Do’s and don’ts is the most common way people encounter this word, since it usually appears as a paired phrase describing recommended and discouraged behavior. There is some flexibility in how “do’s” is written, but “don’ts” stays fixed.
| Phrase | Status | Notes |
| Dos and don’ts | Widely accepted | Common in modern, simplified style guides |
| Do’s and don’ts | Also accepted | Older, more traditional style with an apostrophe in “do’s” |
| Dos and dont’s | Incorrect | The apostrophe in don’ts is misplaced |
| Do’s and don’t’s | Incorrect | Adds an unnecessary extra apostrophe |
Both “dos” and “do’s” appear across professional writing, so either is generally acceptable as long as it stays consistent throughout the same document. Don’ts, however, only has one correct form.
Don’ts in American English vs British English
There is no real difference between American and British English when it comes to this word. Both varieties treat don’t as a contraction of “do not” and both form the plural the same way, by adding an s after the existing apostrophe.
Regional differences in English usually appear in vocabulary choices or spelling patterns like “colour” versus “color,” but the apostrophe rule for contractions remains universal. Writers anywhere in the English speaking world can use don’ts with confidence.
Don’ts in Search Engines and Everyday Writing
People frequently search for terms like “dont’s or don’ts,” “donts or don’ts,” and “is donts a word” because autocorrect tools and casual typing habits create genuine confusion. Search engines regularly show comparison style content because the intent behind these queries is almost always the same, readers want a fast, clear confirmation of the correct spelling.
This is also why the phrase appears so often in workplace training materials, listicles, and how to guide. Any content that presents rules, tips, or etiquette advice tends to rely on the word don’ts somewhere in its structure.
Tools and Tricks to Never Misspell Don’ts Again
A few simple habits make it easy to avoid this mistake permanently.
- Say the full phrase “do not” in your head before typing the contraction
- Remember the pattern: do not becomes don’t, then don’t becomes don’ts
- Keep the apostrophe exactly where it sits in don’t, then add the s afterward
- Run your text through a grammar checker if you are unsure
- Read the sentence aloud, since “dont’s” often sounds noticeably different when misread
Related Apostrophe Mix-Ups Worth Knowing
Don’ts is not the only word that confuses writers. A few similar apostrophe mistakes are worth reviewing at the same time.
- Its versus it’s, where “its” shows possession and “it’s” means “it is”
- Your versus you’re, where “your” shows possession and “you’re” means “you are”
- Whose versus who’s, where “whose” shows possession and “who’s” means “who is”
- Dos versus do’s, where style guides allow either spelling as long as it stays consistent
Quick Grammar Check
Try spotting the correct form in this short example before reading the answer below.
Question: Which spelling completes the sentence correctly? “Follow these simple ___ of email etiquette.”
Answer: Don’ts is correct, since donts and dont’s are both considered spelling errors in standard English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it dont’s or don’ts?
Don’ts is the correct spelling, since the apostrophe belongs inside the contraction don’t.
Why does don’ts have an apostrophe?
It keeps the apostrophe from the contraction “don’t,” which stands for “do not.”
Is donts a real word?
No, donts is considered a spelling mistake because it drops the required contraction apostrophe.
Is don’t’s ever correct?
No, don’t’s adds an extra apostrophe that is never needed in standard English.
How do you write dos and don’ts?
Both “dos and don’ts” and “do’s and don’ts” are accepted, but don’ts always keeps its apostrophe.
Can don’ts be used in formal writing?
Yes, don’ts are fully acceptable in formal, professional, and academic writing.
What is the singular form of don’ts?
The singular form is don’t, meaning “do not.”
Conclusion
Don’ts is the only correct spelling. The apostrophe stays inside the word because don’t is a contraction of “do not,” and the plural s is simply added afterward without moving or duplicating the punctuation mark. Once you remember this short pattern, do not becomes don’t becomes don’ts, you will never second guess the spelling again.
