The Possessive Apostrophe

One way to show possession in English that something belongs to a person, place, or
thing is to use the apostrophe (). Make sure your base noun form is correctly singular
or plural to start, and then apply the rules below.
!or singular and plural nouns that do not end in "s, form the possessi#e by
adding "s.
the cat$s meow the men$s club
the mummy$s curse the women$s lounge
!or singular nouns that end in "s, (whether pronounced or unpronounced), form the
possessi#e by adding "s.
the class$s grades Ms. %u&ois$s payche'ue
Mr. (arris$s guitar )he *ro'uois$s go#ernment
!or plural nouns that end in s, form the possessi#e by adding only an apostrophe.
the girls$ clothes the classes$ schedules
the two cities$ efforts the goddesses$ tiaras
!or compound nouns, show possession at the end of the compound.
My mother"in"law$s cooking is atrocious.
+te#en ,ing$s no#els are #ery popular.
!or -oint ownership, show possession only on the last noun.
.ou can get anything you want at /rlo and /lice$s restaurant.
)he (atfields and the Mc0oys$ time"share condo is in !lorida.
!or indi#idual possession, show possession on all of the nouns.
%r. 1eckyl$s and Mr. (yde$s futures were 'uite bleak.
Mr. +weeny$s and Mrs. )odd$s barber shops are both on 2ichmond 2ow.
%o not use the possessi#e apostrophe with possessi#e pronouns such as hers,
theirs, yours, whose, and its. 3ote4 its is a contraction of it is, not a possessi#e.
Practice Exercise
2ewrite each phrase using the possessi#e apostrophe4
E5ample4 the book that belongs to 1ohn 1ohn$s book6666666
7. the son of Mr. +mith 66666666666666666
8. the daughter of Mrs. Memechose 66666666666666666
9. pies that belong to the clowns 66666666666666666
:. the ;icture of %orian <ray 66666666666666666
=. the breakfast of the dog 66666666666666666
>. the pro-ect of <uillaume and (enri 66666666666666666
?. the motorbikes of 1anice and ;hil 66666666666666666
@. the door that belongs to it 66666666666666666
A. the fleas that belong to the circus 66666666666666666
7B. the lair of the white worm 66666666666666666
77. the hound of the &asker#illes 66666666666666666
78. the ship of +inbad 66666666666666666
79. the treasure map of the pirate 66666666666666666
7:. the speech of the president 66666666666666666
7=. reflection of the mirror 66666666666666666
7>. the research of %r. 0ranium 66666666666666666
7?. books that belong to the library 66666666666666666
7@. the antlers of the deer (singular) 66666666666666666
Answers
7. the son of Mr. +mith Mr. +mith$s son

8. the daughter of Mrs. Memechose Mrs. Memechose$s daughter
9. pies that belong to the clowns the clowns$ pies
:. the ;icture of %orian <ray %orian <ray$s picture
=. the breakfast of the dog the dog$s breakfast
>. the pro-ect of <uillaume and (enri <uillaume and (enri$s pro-ect
?. the motorbikes of 1anice and ;hil 1anice$s and ;hil$s motorbikes
@. the door that belongs to it its door
A. the fleas that belong to the circus the circus$s fleas
7B. the lair of the white worm the white worm$s lair
77. the hound of the &asker#illes the &asker#illes$ hound
78. the ship of +inbad +inbad$s ship
79. the treasure map of the pirates the pirates$ treasure map
7:. the speech of the president the president$s speech
7=. reflection of the mirror the mirror$s reflection
7>. the research of %r. 0ranium %r. 0ranium$s research
7?. books that belong to the library the library$s books
7@. the antlers of the deer (singular) the deer$s antlers.