Possessive Nouns & Pronouns

​Possessive Nouns

​On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to use (or not use) apostrophes to make nouns plural, possessive, or both plural and possessive.

Plural nouns do not require an apostrophe.

Example: The plants in the greenhouse are thriving.

Singular possessive nouns require an apostrophe followed by an "s".

Ex: The company's most popular products include shampoo and moisturizer.

Note: This rule applies even if the singular noun already ends in "s" (e.g., the rhinoceros's horn).

Plural possessive nouns that end in "s" require an apostrophe after the "s".

Ex: On many superhero teams, the heroes' costumes are each a different color.

Note: If a plural noun doesn't end in "s", then an "s" should be added after the apostrophe (e.g., the men's swim team).

​Possessive Nouns Top Tip

​Top tip: Check both nouns

SAT questions that ask us about possessive nouns usually include two nouns in the underline. The choices will include variations where one, both, or neither of the two are made plural or possessive.

Be sure that the answer you choose uses (or doesn't use) apostrophes correctly in both nouns.

​On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions in which the possessive pronouns "its" and "their" are confused with their homophones (words that sound the same but mean different things).

Use the following tables to keep things straight!

Its

its	belongs to it
it's	"it is"

Their

their	belongs to them
they're	"they are"
there	that place

Note: You will be offered variations of both "they" and "it" in each question of this type, so you'll also need to pay attention to pronoun agreement.

• Is the noun being referred to singular? Use a version of "it".

• Is the noun being referred to plural? Use a version of "they".

​Possessive Pronouns

​Top tip: Expand the contractions

Homophones are only dangerous if they sound the same. Any time you see an apostrophe, read out "it is" instead of "it's". Do the same with "they are" for "they're".

Errors in logic will be much more obvious this way.

Top tip: Identify the antecedent

Determining whether a possessive pronoun or a contraction is more appropriate is only half the battle! We also need to make sure that the pronoun we choose agrees in number with its antecedent (the noun it refers to).

When you see a question that tests you on its/it's, take an extra moment to identify the antecedent and be sure that we shouldn't change that it to a they.

​Possessive Pronouns Top Tips

Multiple Choice

The hearts branching vascular architecture is a complex system that has much more to do with oxygenation of tissues than with love.

• NO CHANGE

• heart's

• hearts'

• heart

Multiple Choice

In a nutrient-seeking behavior known as mud-puddling, butterflies land on other animals and drink its tears.

• NO CHANGE

• they're

• their

• theirs

Multiple Choice

Coco confession to Georgia — that Coco did not want to room with her in college — put a strain on their ten-year-old friendship.

• NO CHANGE

• Coco's

• Cocos'

• Cocos

Multiple Choice

When a bear invaded the campsite, it destroyed both Hallies and Jonathan’s tents.

• NO CHANGE

• Hallies and Jonathans tents.

• Hallie’s and Jonathan’s tents.

• Hallie and Jonathans tents.

Multiple Choice

Labor unions are formed in order to protect workers' rights through collective bargaining.

• NO CHANGE

• worker's rights

• workers rights'

• workers' rights'

Multiple Choice

The striated patterns' of a canyons walls are the result of erosion and frost weathering having exposed layers of multicolored sedimentary rock.

• NO CHANGE

• patterns of a canyons'

• pattern's of a canyon's

• patterns of a canyon's

Multiple Choice

My boyfriends eyes are unusually susceptible to eye floaters: moving spots that are often caused by flecks of collagen.

• NO CHANGE

• boyfriend's eyes

• boyfriend's eyes'

• boyfriends eyes'