'

This template uses the decimal code for the apostrophe or single-quote character so that it doesn't become interpreted with adjacent italics ('') or bold (''') wiki markup. This situation most commonly arises when taking the possessive of titles that should be italicized. {{'}} is shorter than <nowiki>'</nowiki> and clearer than an unadorned &#39;.

This template leaves leading space before the apostrophe, unlike the similar {{`}} (no spacing). This template is intended for use with italic text, whereas {{`}} is intended for use with non-italic text. For example:

  • The ''Iliad''{{'}}s vocabulary is archaic.

generates:

  • The Iliad's vocabulary is archaic.

with a tiny amount of space before the apostrophe to avoid colliding with the italic d at the end of Iliad. Conversely, {{`}} should be used if the text is already italicized. For example:

  • ''The ''Iliad''{{`}}s vocabulary is archaic.''

generates:

  • The Iliad's vocabulary is archaic.

without the extra space, which would be distracting here.

This template is also similar to {{-'}}, used to slightly space apart a leading single quote from a surrounding double quotation mark provided by a template parameter in which the content is placed, e.g. the |title= parameter of {{cite web}}. The equivalent template when manually placing double quotes around a single-quoted passage is {{" '}}; see also {{'-}} and {{' "}} for the right-hand side equivalents (parameter and manual, respectively). All of these templates use 0.2em of spacing, while {{'}}, this template, uses only 0.1em of spacing, as does 's, which is used for possessives in italics.

Quotation mark and apostrophe templates