Possessive 's

A1 Beginner

The possessive 's is used to show that something belongs to a specific person or animal. It attaches to the end of a noun to indicate ownership or a close relationship.

Overview

The possessive 's indicates a relationship of ownership or possession between two nouns. It is primarily used with people and animals rather than inanimate objects. For example, in the phrase Sarah's car, the 's shows that the car belongs to Sarah.

Form

Noun + 's + Noun

Add 's to singular nouns. If a plural noun already ends in -s, add only an apostrophe (') after the existing s.

Examples

Common mistakes

The car of John is blue.
John's car is blue.
English speakers prefer using 's for people instead of the 'of' construction.
The student's are happy.
The students are happy.
Do not use an apostrophe for simple plural nouns that do not show possession.
Its a nice day.
It's a nice day.
It's is a contraction for 'it is', while 'its' is a possessive determiner.

Singular vs. Plural Possession

Note that the pronunciation of 's and s' is often identical; the difference is only visible in writing.

Noun Type	Rule	Example
Singular	Add 's	The boy's ball
Plural (ending in s)	Add '	The boys' ball
Irregular Plural	Add 's	The children's toys

Practice

Rewrite the phrase using 's: The bag belonging to Maria.
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Maria's bag
Answer:Maria's bag
Why:To show possession for a person, add 's to the name of the owner followed by the object.
Choose the correct form: The (doctors / doctor's) office is closed today.
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doctor's
Answer:doctor's
Why:The office belongs to the doctor, so the possessive 's is required.
Make this plural possessive: The coats of the girls.
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The girls' coats
Answer:The girls' coats
Why:For plural nouns ending in -s, add only the apostrophe at the end.