Possessive Nouns
What are possessives?
• Possessives show ownership.
• They show something belongs to
someone or something.
the boy’s book - who owns the book?
The coat belongs to the girl.
the girl’s coat
The bone belongs to the dog.
the dog’s bone
The pencil belongs to the teacher.
the teacher’s pencil
The jump ropes belong to the students.
the students’ jump ropes
3 Rules to Make Possessives
• Rule 1:
To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an
apostrophe and s (’s) = car = car’s
• Rule 2:
To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in s,
add only an apostrophe (’) = dogs = dogs’
• Rule 3:
To form the possessive of a plural noun that does
not end in s, add an apostrophe and s (’s) = mice =
mice’s
Rule 1:
To form the possessive of a singular
noun, add an apostrophe and s (’s)
• A noun is a person, place, or thing
• “Singular” means that there is only one (when
there is more than one, it is called “plural”
• For example, if the singular noun “cat” has a
brush, the possessive form is:
the cat’s brush
The lady owns the coat.
1. The ladies coat
2. The ladys’ coat
3. The lady’s coat
The man has a belt.
1. The mans belt
2. The mans’ belt
3. The man’s belt
Frank owns the boat.
1. Franks boat
2. Frank’s boat
3. Franks’ boat
Rule 2:
For a plural noun ending in s, add
only an apostrophe (’)
• A plural noun means there is more than one. For
example, “boy” is singular and “boys” is plural.
• Since one s was already added to make this noun
plural, a second s is not added.
• Example:
the three girls’ notebook
Not: the three girls’s notebook
Three ladies own the
business.
1. Ladies business
2. Ladies’ business
3. Ladies’s business
The pen belongs to two dogs.
1. The dogs pen
2. The dogs’ pen
3. The dog’s pen
The ring belongs to the girl.
1. The girls’ ring
2. The girl’s ring
3. The girls ring
The bike belongs to three boys.
1. The boys’s bike
2. The boy’s bike
3. The boys’ bike
The four cooks own the
kitchen.
1. The cooks kitchen
2. The cooks’ kitchen
3. The cook’s kitchen
The tools belong to dad.
1. Dad’s tools
2. Dads’ tools
3. Dads tools
Some nouns are made into
plurals without adding s.
man men
mouse mice
child children
Rule 3:
For a plural noun that does not end
in s, add an apostrophe and s (‘s).
• The cars belong to the men.
The men’s cars
• The cheese belongs to the mice.
The mice’s cheese
• The children own the toys.
The children’s toys
The nest belongs to the mice.
1. The mice’s nest
2. The mices’ nest
3. The mices nest
The dishes belong to the
women.
1. Womens’ dishes
2. Women’s dishes
3. Womens’s dishes
The people own the seats.
1. Peoples’ seats
2. Peoples seats’
3. People’s seats
Review
• Singular possessive nouns add ’s
the man’s glove
Joe’s hat
• Plural nouns ending in s, add only the
apostrophe ’.
the four cats’ toy
• Plural nouns that do not end in s, add ’s.
the men’s cars
