Apostrophe Rules

Singular Nouns vs. Plural Nouns

SingularDog

GlassBabyTreeHair

NecklaceButton

Box

PluralDogs

GlassesBabiesTreesHairs

NecklacesButtonsBoxes

• Exercise:  Tell if the following nouns are singular or plural:

Box  Houses HorsesCats Paper DressSlipper Wagon CartsForks  Lamps KitchenBooks Shoes PonyChair  Garden Glass

Box  (s) Houses (p) Horses (p)

Cats (p) Paper (s) Dress (s)

Slipper (s) Wagon (s) Carts (p)

Forks (p) Lamps (p)Kitchen (s)

Books (p) Shoes (p) Pony (s)

Chair (s) Garden (s) Glass (s)

Use an apostrophe to form the possessive of singular and plural nouns

Joe + ’s= Joe’s Car flag + ’s = flag’s colors

Day + ’s = day’s effort glass + ’s = glass’s cost

Note: if a PLURAL noun ends in s, just add an apostrophe

Cars + ’ = cars’ interiors

Televisions + ’ = televisions’ locations

Note: if a plural noun does NOT end in s, add an ‘s to the word.

Mice + ’s = mice’s women + ’s = women’s

Exception Alert!!• If a name of two or more syllables ends in an

“eez” sound, the possessive is formed WITHOUT an additional s

• The tales of Ulysses = Ulysses’ tales• The speech of Orestes = Orestes’ speeches• The cancellation of the TV series = the TV

series’ cancellation.

2 or more syllables ending in an “eez” sound!

Series = (seer-eez)

Practice1. The speeches of the students2. The cars of the parents3. The necklace of the customer4. The cages of the animals5. The popularity of the series6. The engine of the car7. The smell of the cheese 8. The books of the girls9. The rings of the jewelers10. The heel of Achilles

1. The students’ speeches2. The parents’ cars3. The customer’s necklace4. The animals’ cages5. The series’ popularity6. The car’s engine7. The cheese’s smell (only one syllable ending in eez)

8. The girls’ books9. The jewelers’ rings10. Achilles’ heel

When the names of two or more persons are used to show joint ownership of the same thing, only the

name of the last person mentioned is given the possessive form.

• Jackson and Myer’s law firm (they share the same law firm)

• Becky and Jenny’s friend (they share the same friend)

• Pete and Ken’s iPod. (they share the same iPod)

• Mrs. McIntyre and Mrs. Gerardy’s classroom (they share the same classroom)

If the names of two or more persons are used to show separate ownership, EACH

name is given the possessive form.

• Timberlake’s and Swift’s songs (they have their OWN songs)

• McIntyre’s and Gerardy’s classrooms (they have their own classrooms)

• Emily’s and Kelsie’s books (they have their own books)

Practice

• The songs separately owned by Amy and Joe

• The desk of Dean and Kevin

• The cell phones separately owned by Donna and Dave

• The computers separately owned by Sean and Julie

• The mail of Dylan and Holly

• The separate grades of John and Brooke

• Amy’s and Joe’s songs

• Dean and Kevin’s desk

• Donna’s and Dave’s cell phones

• Sean’s and Julie’s computers

• Dylan and Holly’s mail

• John’s and Brooke’s grades

Only the last part of a hyphenated noun shows possession

• Mother-in-law’s book

• Editor-in-chief’s position

An apostrophe is used to show the plurals of letters, word, numbers, and signs used as

words.

• Don’t confuse the 7’s and 8’s

• There are two t’s in my name

An apostrophe indicates that a number or letter has been omitted (taken out)

• It is = it’s

• 1965 = ’65

• Does not = doesn’t

• We will = we’ll

• It will = it’ll

• That is = that’s

Use an apostrophe and s to form the possessive of indefinite pronouns.

• Someone’s purse

• Another’s eyes

• Nobody’s business

Note: DO NOT use an apostrophe to form the possessive of personal pronouns:

Theirs, yours, hers, ours, its

Practice

1. The shoe of someone

2. All the students got Cs on the test.

3. The license of the sister-in-law

4. She wasnt born until 75.

5. That is what shell do to survive.

6. The clothes of another

7. Whatve we done?

1. Someone’s shoe

2. All the students got C’s on the test.

3. The sister-in-law’s license

4. She wasn’t born until ‘75.

5. That is what she’ll do to survive.

6. Another’s clothes

7. What’ve we done?

Tips for checking if something is possessive

• Another way to think about this rule is to see whether the word of expresses what you're trying to say. With the of method, you note

– The children's mother phoned = the mother of the children phoned.

– the sharp tooth of the crocodile = the crocodile's sharp tooth– the peanut-stained tooth of the elephant = the elephant's peanut-

stained tooth– This is Marmaduke's house = it is the house of Marmaduke.  

Sometimes, no clear owner seems present in the phrase. Such a situation arises mostly when you're talking about time. If you can insert of into the sentence, you may need an apostrophe. To give you an idea of how to run the "of test," here

are some phrases that express time: These examples are showing time and amount as adjectives to describe how long or how much. If that is happening, you need to use an apostrophe.

–Three months' work = the work of three months. (how much work? Three months is being used as an adjective to describe how much)

–one week's tooth cleaning = one week of tooth cleaning–a year's dental care = one year of dental care

–Does not work:• She was 6 months old = six months of old does not work