Single quote

ASCII Code: 39•Category: punctuation

The single quote (') serves dual functions as an apostrophe for contractions and possessives in English grammar, and as string delimiters in programming languages, making it essential for both written communication and software development.

Technical Details

ASCII Code: 39
HTML Entity: '
Hexadecimal: 0x27
Binary: 00100111
Octal: 47

Usage & Examples

Programming

char symbol = '''; // ASCII 39

HTML/Web

' or '

Common Uses

apostrophequotepossessivecontractionstringprogrammingpunctuationgrammar

How to Type This Character

Windows

Alt Code:

Hold Alt and type39 on numeric keypad

Character Map:

Search "Character Map" in Start menu

Mac

Character Viewer:

Press Ctrl +Cmd +Space

Copy & Paste:

Easiest method - copy from this page!

💡 Pro tip: The fastest way is to bookmark this page or copy the character from our ASCII library!

Related Characters

Left Guillemet Double Angle Quotes

#171

Right Guillemet Double Angle Quotes

#187

Inverted Question Mark

#191

Hash symbol

#35

About the Single quote

Grammatical Foundation

Essential for English grammar, forming contractions (don't, won't, it's) and possessive forms (John's book, the cat's toy). The apostrophe eliminates ambiguity and maintains proper grammatical structure in formal and informal writing.

Programming Strings

Critical in programming languages as an alternative to double quotes for string literals, particularly useful when strings contain double quotes. Enables flexible string handling in JavaScript, Python, SQL, and countless other languages.

Typography Elegance

Provides visual distinction from double quotes in nested quotations ('quotes within "quotes"') and maintains typographic hierarchy in complex texts. Essential for proper punctuation in journalism, literature, and academic writing.

International Usage

Used in various languages for similar grammatical functions, making it a universal punctuation mark that transcends linguistic boundaries while maintaining consistent typographic appearance across cultures.

History of the Single quote

1500s

English Grammar Development

English printers and grammarians began standardizing apostrophe usage for contractions and possessives, establishing the grammatical rules that define modern English punctuation.

1700s

Literary Standardization

Major English authors and publishers codified apostrophe usage in literature, creating the conventions used in novels, poetry, and formal writing that persist today.

1800s

Educational Systems

Grammar schools and educational institutions made apostrophe usage central to English literacy, establishing it as a marker of educated writing and proper communication.

1960s

Programming Languages

Early computer languages adopted single quotes as string delimiters, creating programming conventions that made the apostrophe essential for software development worldwide.

1990s-Present

Digital Communication

Internet communication, texting, and social media made apostrophes ubiquitous in digital writing, while programming frameworks used them extensively for web development and data processing.

Cultural Impact

The single quote became the symbol of linguistic precision and programming flexibility, enabling both grammatical correctness in human communication and technical accuracy in software development.

Usage Examples

English Contractions

Example

don't, won't, it's, we're, they've, can't, shouldn't

Standard English contractions requiring apostrophe placement

Possessive Forms

Example

Sarah's car, the dog's bone, children's toys, James's book

Possessive nouns showing ownership and relationship

Programming Strings

Example

print('Hello World'), const name = 'Alice', SELECT * FROM 'users'

String literals in Python, JavaScript, and SQL databases

Nested Quotations

Example

He said, "She told me 'I'll be there soon' yesterday."

Proper punctuation hierarchy in complex quoted material