Possessive NounsPossessive Nouns

Nouns that show ownershipNouns that show ownership

ExamplesExamples

Melissa owns that bike.Melissa owns that bike.

That is Melissa’s bike.That is Melissa’s bike.

That is the book that belongs to Joe.That is the book that belongs to Joe.

That is Joe’s book.That is Joe’s book.

Singular nounsSingular nouns

Only one person, place or thing.Only one person, place or thing.

To make a singular noun possessive just To make a singular noun possessive just add an ‘s.add an ‘s.

Ex. Missy’s, John’s, book’s, pencil’sEx. Missy’s, John’s, book’s, pencil’s

ExamplesExamples

Singular NounSingular Noun Possessive NounPossessive Noun

buildingbuilding building’sbuilding’s

Mr. JonesMr. Jones Mr. Jones’sMr. Jones’s

MarkMark Mark’sMark’s

dogdog dog’sdog’s

That is Captain Hook’s beautiful blue That is Captain Hook’s beautiful blue boat.boat.

Ex. The beautiful blue boat belongs to Ex. The beautiful blue boat belongs to Captain Hook.Captain Hook.

Ex. The books of Mary are in her locker.Ex. The books of Mary are in her locker.

Mary’s books are in her locker.Mary’s books are in her locker.

Singular NounsSingular Nouns

One person, place, thing or idea.One person, place, thing or idea.

Plural NounsPlural Nouns

More than one person, place, thing or More than one person, place, thing or idea.idea.

How to make Plural Nouns How to make Plural Nouns PossessivePossessive

Plural nouns are a little trickier than singular nouns. You can’t just add an apostrophe s to the end of the word.

Plural nouns that end in Plural nouns that end in an san s

If a plural noun already ends in an If a plural noun already ends in an ss, you , you simply add an apostrophe to the end of the simply add an apostrophe to the end of the word.word.

Example: cars becomes cars’Example: cars becomes cars’

boys becomes boys’boys becomes boys’

Plural nouns that do not Plural nouns that do not end in an send in an s

If a plural noun does not end in an If a plural noun does not end in an ss, you , you must add an apostrophe must add an apostrophe ss to the end of to the end of the word.the word.

Example: children becomes children’sExample: children becomes children’s

geese becomes geese’sgeese becomes geese’s

In short…In short…

If a nouns is If a nouns is PLURALPLURAL and and already already ends in an Sends in an S, you , you only only add add the the apostropheapostrophe..

For For all other casesall other cases, you must , you must add an apostrophe Sadd an apostrophe S

PracticePractice

the hiding place of the micethe hiding place of the mice the mice’s hiding placethe mice’s hiding place

the shoes of the girlsthe shoes of the girls the girls’ shoesthe girls’ shoes