Table of Contents
To create a possessive noun, add an apostrophe and “s” to a singular noun, like turning “boy” into “boy’s.” With plural nouns, just add an apostrophe, like changing “boys” to “boys’.” Remember, possessive nouns don’t always show actual ownership.
Words that tell who or what something belongs to are called possessive nouns. They often use an apostrophe ( ‘ ) and the letter s to show ownership. Any kind of word, like a thing or an idea, can become possessive.
Also Check: Singular Nouns
Definition Of Possessive Nouns
Possessive nouns are words that tell us something belongs to someone or something else. When a singular noun wants to show ownership, it usually adds an apostrophe ( ’ ) and the letter s. This can happen with almost any word, whether it’s a thing or an idea.
Also Check: Common Nouns
Examples of Possessive Nouns
Here is some examples of Possessive nouns.
Singular Possessive Nouns: These show ownership or possession for one person or thing.
John’s car
Sarah’s book
The cat’s toy
Plural Possessive Nouns: These indicate ownership for multiple people or things.
The students’ projects
The dogs’ leashes
My parents’ house
Singular Possessive Nouns with Irregular Plurals: For singular nouns that have irregular plural forms.
The child’s toy (singular possessive for “child” which becomes “children” in plural)
The man’s hat (singular possessive for “man” which becomes “men” in plural)
Also Check: Proper Nouns
Possessive Form
When something belongs to someone, we often use an apostrophe and an ‘s.’ But for certain words, we don’t add the ‘s.’ Here’s a table that shows how to show possession for different types of words. You can find more information in the next parts.
Form of Possessive Nouns
| Type of noun | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Singular noun, or plural noun that does not end in “s” | Add ’s | cat’s; Vijay’s; editor in chief’s; mother-in-law’s; people’s; princess’s |
| Plural noun ending in “s,” or singular noun that looks like a plural noun | Add ’ | dogs’; the Smiths’; politics’; the United States’ |
| Singular name ending in “s” | Add either ’s or ’ | James’s or James’; Descartes’s or Descartes’; Vilnius’s or Vilnius’ |
Possessive Nouns FAQs
What is a possessive noun example?
A possessive noun shows ownership or belonging. An example is Sarah's book where Sarah's shows that the book belongs to Sarah.
What are the 4 rules of possessive nouns?
The rules for possessive nouns involve adding an apostrophe and an s ('s) to singular nouns, adding just an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in s, and using s after the apostrophe for plural nouns not ending in s.
What are possessive with examples?
Possessive nouns demonstrate ownership. For instance, the dog's bone shows that the bone belongs to the dog.
What are 10 possessive nouns?
Examples of possessive nouns include: Sarah's hat, the cat's tail, the children's toys, the car's wheels, Mary's house, the teacher's desk, the bird's nest, John's bike, the company's logo, and the sun's rays.
What are 10 examples of possessive?
Possessive forms indicate ownership. For example: Tom's hat, the car's engine, the book's cover, the girl's shoes, the dog's bowl, the parent's car, the flower's petals, the teacher's pen, the country's flag, and the house's roof.
