You can always identify possession without using an apostrophe. How to use a possessive apostrophe. If a dog belongs to Pete, then it is Pete's dog. For example: Incorrect: This is Peters shoes. Ex: Gloria's hat Ex: Chase's red car 1. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3. The apostrophe is used to replace missing letters in contractions, to indicate the possessive form of certain nouns, and to form the plural of some words in very specific situations.. What are the 3 Uses of apostrophe? With Nouns, How You Write a Compound Possessive Depends on Whether Things Are Shared. Apostrophes are used in contractions. If a plural noun doesn't end in "s," add an apostrophe + "s" to create the possessive form. If the noun already ends in an s . A series of actions led to Captain Cook's demise. David's 1. Example: the newspaper's column = the column of the newspaper To show possession by a singular noun, add 's to the singular form of the word (even if it ends with the letter s .) Using apostrophes to show possession Training, Writing Using apostrophes to show possession or ownership is essential in written English to clarify meaning. An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to show possession, to indicate the plural form of letters of the alphabet, and to form a contraction. Use an apostrophe after the "s" (s') at the end of a plural noun to show possession. The answer there would indicate that not only should there be an apostrophe, but it should be apostrophe-s as a possessive: "NEGS's tennis team" However, in the case of an initialism like NEGS, where it can easily be [and probably is] pronounced as a word, the word ends in an s. Students have to write possessive nouns in section A and insert apostrophes in sentences in section B. The solution, of course, is not to add of. While there are some exceptions, let's first review the three standard rules for using an apostrophe to create a possessive noun. Let's take a look at three different uses of the possessive apostrophe. Apostrophes have two main uses: Indicating possession (e.g. Alison Galloway says: Example: The girl's bicycle Commentary: The apostrophe indicates that one bicycle belongs to one girl. There are a few different ways to form the possessive of a noun. For singular nouns and irregular plurals (those not ending in s), you should add 's to the end of the word. Apostrophes are used to show possession. Here are some grammar rules to guide you when showing ownership: Rule 1: To form the possessive of a singular noun that does not end in s or an s sound, add an apostrophe plus s to the noun: Examples: the doctor's orders, the writer's desk, Tammy's car, my sister's children, her father-in-law's house. add 's to the last noun to show joint possession of an object: Todd and Anne's apartment; Showing omission of letters. Use an apostrophe when showing possession. Look at the example: Paul's house is very big. An apostrophe, the argument goes, implies private ownership of a public place. To show possession of a singular regular noun ending with y, don't change the y to -ies. Apostrophes are used to show possession. Learn when the apostrophe comes before the 's' and when it goes after the 's'.. children's erupting teeth (The erupting teeth belong to the children.) For example: doges . an old wives' tale. For example: The house belonging to the Williams family is the Williamses' house. The main function of the apostrophe is to replace a missing letter (e.g., aren't, don't). How apostrophes are used to show that something belongs to someone or something.Questions: When there is something belonging to one person. Her father's old reading glasses. December 14, 2018, at 9:41 pm. To make a word plural and possessive, form the plural first, then add an apostrophe. LESSON. The Evanses' Wine Bar is correct. Do not use an apostrophe with pronouns to show possession. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3. Example: the owner's car. In these punctuation worksheets, students write the possessive form of both singular and plural nouns. (Sarahs / Sarah's) textbook was in her backpack. For example, "the problems belong to the girls" or "the girls have problems." But when you don't use the connecting verbs you must use the apostrophe. They typically get formed by adding -s. Except, that is, if the name already ends in s or z. By convention, names from classical mythology and the Bible ending in s show possession with the apostrophe only ("Jesus' teachings"). To show possession of a singular regular noun ending with y, don't change the y to -ies. These worksheets give student's practice writing the possessive form for both singular and plural nouns. What will I learn? 1. Explore possessives grammar rules, and get tips for teaching possessives. Apostrophe for Joint Possession Joint possession or ownership is shown by making the last word in the series possessive. Apostrophes show possession When the first of 2 consecutive nouns has an apostrophe, it means those nouns have a relationship. All names ending in s become plural by adding es. ). You might not have realized it, but this is related to the possessive apostrophe. (Possessive form needs the apostrophe) Using an apostrophe to show singular possession Rule 1a. Apostrophes Apostrophes can be used in two waysto show possession and to indicate omission. Rule 1. The noun would have to be possessive if you were to add of, as in some of Stackexchange's employees are happy. So when you want to show possession, you put the apostrophe first, then the "s.". To show ownership for an irregular plural, add an apostrophe and then the letter s (teeth's). For example, "The cat's litter box." Most plural nouns only need an apostrophe, such as . *Click on Open button to open and print . Rule: To show plural possession, make the proper noun plural first, then use the apostrophe. Rome's backstreets are charming. Apostrophes show where letters are taken out to make a contraction, as in shortening . Grammar, Inc.'s finest apostrophe rule. When you want to show that something belongs to that person or thing, you add a possessive apostrophe and an s. For example: The cat's tail was fluffy. The apostrophe shows this omission. They will be arriving next week's visit. To show joint ownership, form the possessive on the last word; to show individual ownership, form the possessive on both words. We use apostrophes to show ownership or possession. Maybe you're thinking it sounds ridiculous and looks bizarre. Use the apostrophe to show possession. An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to create a contraction or to show possession. The History of the Apostrophe for Ownership The principal function of an apostrophe is to replace a missing letter (e.g., "don't," "isn't"). Sentences. Of all forms of punctuation, the apostrophe appears to be in greatest peril of extinction. Showing possession with apostrophes. (Possessive form needs apostrophe) Correct: This is Peter's shoes. Look at the examples below: a woman's purse; a baby's bottle; My grandmother's sewing tools. An apostrophe can be used to show that one thing belongs to or is connected to something. The (teams / team's) jerseys were brand new. In these punctuation worksheets, students write the possessive form of singular nouns by adding an apostrophe and an "s" to the noun. For proof that the apostrophe should be placed on an endangered species list in some grammarian's office, one . For plural nouns ending in s, you should add only an apostrophe: the cat's meow. Many common nouns end in the letter s ( lens, cactus, bus, etc. (Apostrophe of possession) Incorrect: She ate three hot dog's in the office. To show possession, add just an apostrophe: Williamses'. Apostrophes show possession (ownership), indicate a contraction (the omission of one or more letters or numbers), or are used to form the plurals of some letters and abbreviations. A contraction is a word (or set of numbers) in which one or more letters (or numbers) have been omitted. Add apostrophe s to the end of a singular noun, even if it ends in s (this practice may vary in some places): Apostrophes used for possession. The student's paper) Indicating a contraction (e.g. Macy's implies a shortened version of a longer name (perhaps Macy's Department . Do not create a double or triple "s" when adding an apostrophe. In such cases, one noun will always be followed by another noun, i.e., the one it possesses. In grammar speak, the apostrophe shows the possessive of nouns. the women's lipstick-stained teeth (The lipstick-stained teeth belong to the women.) For most singular nouns, you add an apostrophe and "s" to make it possessive or to show ownership. It would be difficult for possessives to exist without apostrophes. This is related to why apostrophes are used for ownership. I would just say some Wendy's employees are happy. An apostrophe plus s is never added to make a noun plural--even a proper noun. Used precisely, as it was designed to be used, an apostrophe gives clarity to a piece of writing. Rule: To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe. 's shows that the tail belongs to the cat.. As the rule above states, "To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe."The Furnesses' is correct if you are referring to the plural possessive in the phrase "the Furnesses' house.". The car's windscreen is foggy. Singular Possessive Nouns Use an apostrophe followed by answhen you form the possessive of a singular noun. Examples of Joint and Individual Ownership Here are some examples of how possessive nouns are written to show joint and individual ownership: Apostrophes are used to indicate that something belongs to something or someone else. To use an apostrophe to show ownership, you simply add apostrophe s or s apostrophe to a noun, depending on whether it's singular or plural. This English Language quiz is called 'Apostrophes (To Show Possession)' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Do you have trouble distinguishing between possessive nouns and plural nouns? For singular nouns we add an apostrophe plus "s" to show possession; for plural nouns already ending in an s, we just add an apostrophe. To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe.". Since the words boys and girls are already plural, the apostrophe is added after the "s" to show possession. The cat's tail was fluffy. Correct Use. Apostrophes to Show Ownership Worksheet Circle the correct word to complete each sentence. With most singular nouns, simply add an apostrophe plus the letter s to do this. 1. 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. 1. Apostrophes are used with nouns and indefinite pronouns to show ownership; to indicate the omission of letters and figures in contractions; and to form the plural of letters, figures, and words that are referred to as words. ; The brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's bone. I went to (Stephen's / Stephens) home for dinner. I visited the Murphys' store on Main Street. )Correct: She ate three hot dogs in the office.. 1.Singular possession Explanation: An apostrophe and the letter 's' are used to show possession.It is important to put the apostrophe in the correct place, either before the 's' or after the 's', depending on whether the subject is singular or plural. Apostrophe. The answer there would indicate that not only should there be an apostrophe, but it should be apostrophe-s as a possessive: "NEGS's tennis team". To show ownership, add apostrophe + s to the end of a word, with one exception: To show ownership with a plural noun already ending in s add only the apostrophe.. All singular nouns show possession by adding apostrophe + s ('s), including those that already end in s.; A boy's shirt is under the chair. Macy's is always written with an apostrophe, even when there's no noun after the store name. As the rule above states, "To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe."The Furnesses' is correct if you are referring to the plural possessive in the phrase "the Furnesses' house.". Rule: To show singular possession of a name ending in s or z, some writers add just an apostrophe. the people's choice. Possessive nouns worksheets. Use an apostrophe in the possessive form of a noun to indicate ownership. Main Apostrophe Takeaways: Apostrophes have three main uses: to show ownership, omissions, and plural letters, numbers, and symbols ; An apostrophe stands in for the missing letter(s) in a contraction like don't or can't.; If something is plural and showing possession, put an apostrophe after the "s."You can also add another 's' after the apostrophe, but it isn't usually required. Alison Galloway says: Use an apostrophe when two words are shortened into one. 2. Incorrect: I saw Peter's in the office. Use an apostrophe +"s" ('s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something. In this lesson, you will learn how to use apostrophes. 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. Learning Objectives: Identify appropriate use of apostrophes showing ownership or relationship. A possessive noun, which contains an apostrophe S, is used to show possession or that there is a relationship between two things or that something belongs to someone or something. Incorrect: This is Joans jacket. This shows your brother has 'ownership' of the room. 1) To Show Possession To see if you have a possessive, turn the phrase around and make an "of " phrase. ; Lisa's dog has kittens. The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters . Some of you may be wondering about names ending in i. There are exceptions to using a possessive apostrophe.For example, possessive pronouns like yours and theirs are written without an apostrophe. Use an apostrophe to form a possessive noun or pronoun. Rule 2: To form the possessive of . We commonly show possession by adding 's after a noun ( the dog's collar ). We'll discuss these ways below. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the letter s. Examples: a woman's hat the boss's wife Mrs. Chang's house Rule 1b. However, in the case of an initialism like NEGS, where it can easily be [and probably is] pronounced as a word, the word ends in an s. That means it's probably pronunced as "negz tennis team" rather . For plural nouns ending in s, you should add only an apostrophe: the cat's meow. ; The boys found the woman's keys. (This is not possessive, you should not make apostrophe in making noun plural. Three Uses of Apostrophes: In most cases an apostrophe is used to show possession. Others also add another s. See Rules 1b and 1c of Apostrophes for more discussion. the people's choice. If you're trying to write about possession and you have two subjects that are nouns, you have to decide if the two people possess something together or separately. an old wives' tale. Look at the examples below: a woman's purse; a baby's bottle; My grandmother's sewing tools. Instead of saying "the house of Paul" in English we use the apostrophe S to show that the house belongs to Paul. A punctuation mark that has two uses. Worksheet #4 Worksheet #5 Worksheet #6. ; Be careful with her cat's . This is the most common use of the apostrophe to show possession: Without all the modifying verbs, etc., possession always requires an apostrophe. The rules for pluralization, singular possession, and plural possession are the same as the rules for names . Apostrophes Used to Show Possession The rules of grammar require that an apostrophe be used to form both singular and plural possessive nouns. Policies like these don't always go down smoothly, though. ; His wife's son was now in school. The rules in the "Apostrophes with Names Ending in s, ch, or z" section of our blog state, "To show the plural of a name that ends in s, ch, or z, add es. Singular nouns: add 's to show ownership. Apostrophes are also used to signal omitted numbers, such as The '80s (the apostrophe indicates the missing numbers 19). Let's take a look at some examples. Start Practicing on Albert Now! Cat . Forcing an apostrophe between the m and s mangles and mocks the name. Apostrophes are used to show possession. 3. There are a few different ways to form the possessive of a noun. If the two people have the thing together, they can share the apostrophe-S. Learn how to form possessives in sentences. Apostrophes Showing Possession An apostrophe is normally used with the letter s to show ownership or possession. A possessive apostrophe indicates possession of something. All possessives, except for the word 'its', need an apostrophe and an 's' at the end. You can use an apostrophe to show possession with a singular noun by adding an apostrophe plus the letter s ('s). Then the plural is formed by adding -es. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3. The women's babies ("women" is the plural form of "woman") The firemen's trucks ("firemen" is the plural of "fireman") Learn how to punctuate singular and plural possessive nouns to show ownership. 2. For singular nouns and irregular plurals (those not ending in s), you should add 's to the end of the word. The possessive case shows ownership. Here are 50 example sentences with apostrophes to show possession and contractions. . But this has nothing to do with apostrophes used to show possession. ; The manager's boss is in a bad mood today. that construction does not take the possessive; compare some Stackexchange employees are happy (not * some Stackexchange's employees are happy ). (e.g., Sarah's house, the robbers' haul) In old English, possession was shown by adding "es" to the noun regardless of whether it was singular or plural. Form the possessive of plural nouns that end in an -s or an -s sound by adding only the apostrophe. In old English, ownership was shown by adding es to the possessor regardless of whether the possessor was singular or plural. You can use an apostrophe to show possession with a singular noun by adding an apostrophe plus the letter s ('s). Amy 's ballet class Lisa 's car Robert 's car Style guides vary when it comes to a name that ends in an "s." Phrases. The pilot's suitcase was found and returned.. Sentences with Apostrophes for Possession. 1) Add an apostrophe + s ('s) to the end of the noun. For example, the phrase my doctor doesn't mean that I have legal possession of a doctor! Individual ownership is shown by making both (or all) parts possessive. Possessives. A possessive noun shows that someone has or owns something. (Davids / David's) football went over the fence. Identify appropriate use of apostrophes used to shorten words. It costs only $12.50 per month to play this quiz and over 3,500 . Sometimes the concept of ownership is easy to work out; at other times, it's not so straightforward. Apostrophe worksheets: ownership with plural nouns. She's writing a paper) Contractions should be avoided in academic writing, but possessive apostrophes are used in all types of writing. They are mainly used to show possession, but can also be used in place of missing letters in contractions and abbreviations. The plurals of last names are just like the plurals of most nouns. This also applies to names and other proper nouns. Second, as we discussed in episode 315, possessive forms do more than show possession. Make sure to use them correctly, especially when dealing with plurals and abbreviations. There are four ways to use the apostrophe to show ownership or belonging. To indicate possession with a singular noun, add 's at the end of the word. The possessive case shows ownership. ; Depending on the word, it can be used by itself or in front of an "s." The flowers' petals were all over the floor. Displaying all worksheets related to - Apostrophes To Show Possession. Check out these examples: teeth's cavities (The cavities belong to the teeth.) Her father's old reading glasses. Contractions are common in speaking and in . Examples: I petted the Murphys' cat. This is called a possessive apostrophe. Use an apostrophe +"s" ('s) to show that one person/thing owns or is a member of something. Here are some more examples. Worksheets are Appo o ssttrropphhees, Apostrophes, English language work ii apostrophes, The ladys coat fell on the patricks speech went, Apostrophes and possession work, Apostrophes, Apostrophes practice quiz, Apostrophes and hyphens.