In this lesson, we will learn how to use apostrophe s (either ‘s or s’) in English.
Use of Apostrophe s (‘s or s’)
When an apostrophe s is followed by a noun, it shows possession.
For example:
- My son’s car (the car belongs to my son)
- John’s house (the house belongs to John)
Singular nouns without an s
We add ‘s after the noun.
Examples:
- Sarah’s book is on the shelf.
- The teacher’s desk is cluttered with papers.
- My sister’s car broke down on the way to work.
- The doctor’s appointment is at 3 p.m.
- The bird’s feathers were vibrant and colorful.
Singular nouns ending with an s
We add ‘s after the noun.
Examples:
- The boss’s office is on the top floor.
- The waitress’s smile brightened up the room.
- The dress’s color faded after several washes.
Names ending in s
We can add ‘s or just ‘ after the noun. Both are correct.
Examples:
- Charles’s presentation was informative and engaging.
- Charles’ presentation was informative and engaging.
More than one person
When there is more than one person in a sentence, we add ‘s (or ‘ for names ending in s) after the last noun.
Examples:
- Mike and Lisa’s house is located on Main Street.
- John and Sarah’s wedding is next month.
- Mike and James’ friendship has lasted for decades.
If the owners are separate, we add apostrophes after both the nouns.
Examples:
- John’s and Sarah’s cars are parked side by side.
- Tom’s and Jerry’s bikes are both red, but with different designs.
Plural nouns with s
We add ‘ (apostrophe) after the noun.
Examples:
- The cats’ toys were scattered all over the house.
- The books’ pages were filled with colorful illustrations.
- The dogs’ barking could be heard from a distance.
Plural nouns without s
We add ‘s after the noun
Examples:
- The children’s playground was filled with laughter.
- The men’s restroom is located on the right side.
- The teeth’s enamel protects them from decay.
Multiple possessives
We can use more than one possessive noun together.
For example,
“My son has a teacher. She has a husband.” can be written as “My son’s teacher’s husband.”
What is James and Peters’ address?
What’s your wive’s job?
- The ______ (cat) bowl is empty.
- The ______ (teacher) desk is cluttered.
- Is the following sentence correct?
What is James and Peters’ address? - Is the following sentence correct?
What’s your wive’s job? - Which of the following is the correct possessive expression for the sentence “The director has a wife. She has a niece. She has a cousin. He has a friend. She has a business.”?
The possessive form of “cat” is “cat’s” because it indicates that the bowl belongs to the cat.
The possessive form of “teacher” is “teacher’s” because it indicates ownership of the desk by the teacher.
The correct sentence is “What is James and Peter’s address?”
The correct sentence is “What’s your wife’s job?”
“The director has a wife. She has a niece. She has a cousin. He has a friend. She has a business.” can be rewritten as “The director’s wife’s niece’s cousin’s friend’s business.”
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