Possessive nouns are used to show when something belongs to somebody or something, most times we add s to the end of a singular noun and an apostrophe to the end of a plural noun. Commas with transition words a grammar cheat sheet with the major. Nov 02, 2016 one method, common in newspapers and magazines, is to add an apostrophe plus s s to common nouns ending in s, but only a standalone apostrophe to proper nouns ending in s. What is the correct possessive for nouns ending in. Pop quiz choose the correct proper noun in each sentence below. How does one write the possessive form of initials ending in s and also using. Plural nouns that do not end in s, form the possessive case by adding s. Possessive comes from the same root as possession, something you own. Many writers make the mistake of adding just an apostrophe to form the possessive of singular nouns ending in.
So nouns use apostrophes to become possessive, but possessive pronouns get their own separate spellings. For questions not covered by this book, use the plural that websters new world. Learn some common mistakes with apostrophes and how to properly use them. Some style guides say that singular nouns ending in s sounds such as ce, x, and z may take either the apostrophe alone or s. Enjoy this free worksheet that allows students to practice both singular and plural possessive nouns. The rule is easy to follow but trips up a lot of people. A possessive noun is a noun that possesses somethingi. To make a singular or plural noun possessive, add an apostrophe followed by an s. According to the associated press stylebook, we dont use an apostrophe when that first word ends in an s if it s. Learn how to make plural words possessive, how to make words that end in s plural, and what to do about abbreviations. Possessive noun worksheet answer key related products more fun with possessive nouns possessive noun sort possessive noun posters and mini posters possessive noun task cards if you are interested in a bundle that includes all of these activities with possessive.
Mar 29, 2012 and unlike the other cases, the possessive case still exists not only for pronouns, but for almost every noun, including proper nouns and common nouns. Now, there are some simple rules about how to use the apostrophe s. Plural nouns already ending in s take only an apostrophe after the. Possessives and attributives the chicago manual of style. Pronoun activities spelling activities sorting activities singular possessive nouns nouns and pronouns grammar skills grammar and punctuation speech and language language arts updated april 2015 with new fonts and smaller squares this game can be used at a center, to reteach, or to reinforce the concept of proper and common nouns. In writing, however, an apostrophe is put after the s to indicate the possessive case.
If the word or compound already includes a possessive apostrophe, a double. Possessive of proper names ending in s daily writing tips. Many references prefer an apostrophe s after a singular noun ending in s, as in boss s. Possession for words ending in s video khan academy. Plural words that dont end with s, such as children, do take an apostrophes at the end for possession. When indicating the possessive, if there is more than one owner add an apostrophe to the plural, if there is one owner, add s to the singular the smiths car vs smiths car. Rewrite the underlined nouns in the sentences below to make them possessive. Most people regularly write stuff like we went to jamess house without stopping to think whether it should be james house. Plural nouns this is in black and white so it will be easy to print out and use. If there are multiple nouns that refer to more personsthings add s to both nouns. If the noun is plural, or already ends in s, just add an apostrophe after the s. Possession johns car, a friend of mine english grammar. Showing possession in english is a relatively easy matter believe it or not. For example, you could write, fortunately, the childrens room had a hidden doorway.
Possessive noun notes when you wish to say that someone owns something, you use a possessive noun. A noun which shows ownership or possession is said to be in the possessive case. Most stylebooks agree that the rule for forming the possessive of a singular noun ending in s is formed by adding s. Nouns of two or more syllables ending in s or an ssound and not accented on the last syllable, may make their possessive singular by adding s or may take no ending in the possessive. Click once to place the apostrophe before the s, and twice to place it after the s 11. Many attributive nouns will be singular, so you may not have trouble deciding between apostrophe and no apostrophe in most cases. Possessive singular of nouns ending in s, english grammar. Write the owner directly before the thing they own.
Possessives followed by a gerund a present participle a type of verb ending in ing acting as a noun should use an apostrophe and an s if singular the doctor s telling of the story was interrupted and. Add es for names ending in s or z and add s for everything else. Possessive pronouns are never spelled with apostrophes. Jul 20, 2010 plural nouns ending ins form their possessive case by adding only an apostrophe. Apostrophes and plurals grammar girl quick and dirty tips. What if the last word in an initialism for a government agency is a plural word. Correct the following sentences using possessive nouns.
The style used in many newspapers is to add a s to common nouns ending in s, but only a standalone apostrophe to proper nouns ending in s. These names sometimes form their possessive by simply adding an apostrophe, and without. For example, you could write, fortunately, the childrens. How to use the possessive s correctly english grammar. Proper nouns names we very often use possessive s with names this is mary s car.
Try our online activities and printables as well to convince kids that grammar can be fun. Rules for plural and possessive names merriamwebster. Many writers make the mistake of adding just an apostrophe to form the possessive of singular nouns ending. The chickens eggs were taken by the farmer early in the morning. The most common way to pluralize a noun is to simply add an s at the end. To make singular nouns possessive, just add apostrophe. There s some confusion, i think, about what to do if youve got to make someone s name possessive if their name ends in an s, for example, my friend jess. When indicating the possessive, if there is more than one owner add an apostrophe to the plural, if there is one owner, add s to the singular the smiths car vs smith s car. Possessive nouns believe it or not, in the english language showing the possessive form of nouns is rather straightforward. For example, in american english the possessive case can be used with an inanimate. Ryans with an apostrophes as the possessive form of the noun ryan, and my. But in this case, not thinking is actually better than thinking. Aug 12, 2019 get grammar girl s take on apostrophe catastrophe. For plural, proper nouns that are possessive, use an apostrophe after the s.
Students will love the familiar proper nouns that ive included. How the possessive case is formed when the noun is singular, we make the possessive form by adding s to the noun. Apostrophes with names ending in s, ch, or z grammar and. If the name ends in s, like charles, we usually treat it like a singular noun and add s. By adding an apostrophe and an s we can manage to transform most singular nouns into their possessive form. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online.
Yet even though youll likely have fewer opportunities to use a plural as the first noun, there are some plurals that will be attributive. Noun possessive noun possessive baby baby s executive executive s children children s data data s man man s wife wife s look in the children s toy box for the baby s rattle. If there are multiple nouns and they do not share possession, add s to both nouns. It shows a relationship of belonging between one thing and another. Rules by ap stylebook, bad grammargood punctuation. How is the possessive form of a name ending with s written. Apostrophes with words ending in s grammar and punctuation. English grammar using possessive nouns englishhelper blog. And unlike the other cases, the possessive case still exists not only for pronouns, but for almost every noun, including proper nouns and common nouns.
In most cases with singular nouns all that is needed is an apostrophe and the letter s. The eggleses are a husband and wife consultant team. To form the possessive of a singular noun that ends in s steve jobs, kansas, class, boss, etc. In the latter case, an apostrophe is added in writing, but in sound there is no difference between the possessive and the nominative.
Singular nouns of more than one syllable ending with an s sound are made possessive by adding either an apostrophe or an apostrophe s s. Form the possessive of all singular nouns, even those ending in. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. Most people regularly write stuff like we went to james s house without stopping to think whether it should be james house. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by mignon. Plural nouns ending in s take no further ending for the possessive. To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first. Simply put, possessive nouns demonstrate ownership. Possessive nouns, inanimate nouns english grammar with. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. Theres also an independent form of each of these pronouns. Possessive pronouns show that something belongs to someone. For singular nouns that end in s, the possessive is formed by adding s, just as with other nouns. David were talking about possession for names or words ending in the letter s.
The format and rules for possessive nouns are slightly different between american and british english. In general, follow your style manual or your own good sense, and be consistent. The possessive case learn and practice english online. When we have a singular noun, we just add an apostrophe s like we have already seen. The possessive form is used with nouns referring to people, groups of people, countries, and animals. A countable noun becomes plural by adding s at the end of the word. However, it is also correct to just add the apostrophe. The boss s car boss s sounds like bosses there is a partial exception for proper names that end in s. The grammar book allows exceptions for historical nouns. Singular nouns showing possession to form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s. Use them as warmups, fillers, complete lessons, homework, or extra practice in the classroom. Plural nouns second grade not nouns proper nouns vs.
According to my grammar book, but at variance to the answer to this question, the correct singular possessive if a word ends in. Although it is not considered to be good english, you may add only the apostrophe words ending on unpronounced s. Of course, there are many plural nouns in english that are irregular and do not end in s. There are a few different ways to form the possessive of a noun. A possessive noun shows who or what owns something. Oct 09, 2016 my post from february 2015 explains the matter.
They then use awss four times in the book, although they seem to avoid it on their. Fortunately, the rules governing the usage of the possessive s and the plural form are quite clear cut and logical. To form the possessive of singular nouns, add s, as in. Williams plays, dickens novels, hercules labors, jesus life but not st. There are conflicting policies and theories about how to show possession when writing such nouns. That is my professional opinion except for the established english possessive forms of proper nouns. Childrens plural not ending in s chriss or chris name ending in s examples of possessive nouns in a sentence. If you have trouble deciding between attributive and possessive when the first noun of the noun pair is a plural or ends in an s, substitute a singular noun to see how it would be written. In this unit you will find resources for teachers and students to learn english possessive nouns in a fun way. The traditional rule, as found in the chicago manual of style 7. Mymysmys twotwostwos friendsfriendsfriends backpacksbackpacksbackpacks arearesares ininsins thethesthes classroomclassroomsclassrooms 12. To the delight of word nerds everywhere, grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better. In many areas of life, such cavalier carelessness is a bad idea.
Pauls, julies, mikes, and susans are all possessive nouns. With the addition of s or sometimes just the apostrophe, a noun can change from a simple person, place, or thing to a person, place, or thing that owns something. Makes a great center or scootwrite the room activity. Lisa s essay england s navy my brother s girlfriend wittgenstein s last book. Possessive nouns worksheet by elementary engagement tpt.
Possessives of nouns ending in s grammar underground with. An apostrophe is used in a possessive form, like esther s family or janet s cigarettes, and this is the use of the apostrophe which causes most of the trouble. If the word ending with s is plural, add an apostrophe at the end to make it possessive. Possessives of nouns ending in s grammar underground. Many common nouns end in the letter s lens, cactus, bus, etc. Plural possessives are formed by adding an apostrophe after the s example the ith kite flew high in the sky when a plural noun does not end with an s, an apostrophe and then an s are added. Assuming that you are speaking about the possessive form for one person whose first name is lars, either one of your options is correct.
When it comes to forming the possessive of a proper name that ends in s. I prefer the cmos, and im glad to know that it now recommends adding s for plurals ending in s. The possessive case of most nouns has, in the singular number, the ending s. With possessive pronouns such as his, hers, and ours. The style used in many newspapers is to add a s to common nouns ending in s, but only a standalone apostrophe to proper nouns ending.
I got in touch with the other girl, and we decided to pool our cameron movie. When a name ends in s, we usually treat it like any other singular noun, and add s. The bosss car bosss sounds like bosses there is a partial exception for proper names that end in s. When it comes to forming the possessive of a proper name that ends in s, guides disagree. If were talking about jess, and were talking about something that belongs to her, like jess s hat. With regard to english grammar, the possessive form is used to specify who owns something. Singular proper nouns ending in s add an apostrophe. The apostrophe or character is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritical mark. Plural nouns ending in an s simply take an apostrophe at the end to form a possessive noun. The possessive case is now used chiefly with the names of living things. First grade lesson learning the difference between common and proper nouns today s quick post is about nouns. These examples of possessive nouns show the variety of formats used to add a possessive format to a noun. In the following sentence, boys is a possessive noun.
In writing, however, an apostrophe is put after the s to indicate the possessive. It used to be that proper grammar and thoughtful wording were the. The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Possessive with acronyms ending in s pain in the english. Compound possession grammar girl quick and dirty tips. Of course, there are nouns that form plurals in other ways. Heres the scoop on when to use apostrophes to make things plural. Browse proper nouns resources on teachers pay teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. The possessive pronouns are my, our, your, his, her, its, and their. Singular nouns of one syllable ending with an s sound are made possessive by adding apostrophe s s. The possessive s is most commonly misused when a writer confuses it with the plural form.
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