diff --git a/inflect/__init__.py b/inflect/__init__.py
index dd1b3a5..47a8e05 100644
--- a/inflect/__init__.py
+++ b/inflect/__init__.py
@@ -1986,7 +1986,7 @@ def get_si_pron(thecase, word, gender) -> str:
 PLVERB_SPECIAL_S_RE = re.compile(rf"^({plverb_special_s})$")
 WHITESPACE = re.compile(r"\s")
 ENDS_WITH_S = re.compile(r"^(.*[^s])s$", re.IGNORECASE)
-ENDS_WITH_APOSTROPHE_S = re.compile(r"^(.*)'s?$")
+ENDS_WITH_APOSTROPHE_S = re.compile(r"^(.+)'s?$")
 INDEFINITE_ARTICLE_TEST = re.compile(r"\A(\s*)(?:an?\s+)?(.+?)(\s*)\Z", re.IGNORECASE)
 SPECIAL_AN = re.compile(r"^[aefhilmnorsx]$", re.IGNORECASE)
 SPECIAL_A = re.compile(r"^[bcdgjkpqtuvwyz]$", re.IGNORECASE)
diff --git a/newsfragments/218.feature.rst b/newsfragments/218.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..129bfe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/218.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Handle a single apostrophe more gracefully.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_pwd.py b/tests/test_pwd.py
index e3390dd..ff8064c 100644
--- a/tests/test_pwd.py
+++ b/tests/test_pwd.py
@@ -743,6 +743,7 @@ def test__pl_general_verb(self):
             ("tuna's", "tuna's"),
             ("TUNA's", "TUNA's"),
             ("bad", False),
+            ("'", False),
             pytest.param(
                 "JOHN's",
                 "JOHNS'",