1. Possessive Nouns

2. A possessive noun shows ownership. Examples: Examples: Kathleen’s desk Kathleen’s desk an hour’s time an hour’s time those horses’ manes those horses’ manes the royal couple’s daughter the royal couple’s daughter the princess’s crown the princess’s crown a child’s coat a child’s coat

3. To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s. A boy’s cap A boy’s cap The baby’s toy The baby’s toy Claire’s pen Claire’s pen Charles’s opinion (add an ’s even on a singular noun ending in s!) Charles’s opinion (add an ’s even on a singular noun ending in s!) Note: A proper noun ending in s may take only an apostrophe if the addition of ’s would make the name awkward to say. Note: A proper noun ending in s may take only an apostrophe if the addition of ’s would make the name awkward to say. Ms. Rodgers’ cat Ms. Rodgers’ cat

4. To form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end in s, add an ’s. mice’s tricks mice’s tricks children’s games children’s games women’s shoes women’s shoes men’s hats men’s hats teeth’s cavities teeth’s cavities geese’s migration geese’s migration

5. To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in s, add only the apostrophe. cats’ baskets cats’ baskets four days’ delay four days’ delay the Carsons’ house the Carsons’ house the girls’ tickets the girls’ tickets the babies’ toys the babies’ toys

6. Use an apostrophe and an s to form the plurals of letters, numerals, and symbols, and of words referred to as words. Your o’s look like a’s and your u’s look like n’s. Your o’s look like a’s and your u’s look like n’s. There are three 5’s and two 8’s in his telephone number. There are three 5’s and two 8’s in his telephone number. The class has eight A’s, six B’s, four C’s, and three D’s. The class has eight A’s, six B’s, four C’s, and three D’s. Your paragraph has too many we’s in it. Your paragraph has too many we’s in it.