Plural and Possessive Nouns

Plurals, Possessive, and Contractions

Apostrophes can change the meaning of your words.

When do writers use an apostrophe?

• Singular possessive nouns

• Plural possessives nouns

• Contractions

Possessive Nouns

Use an apostrophe to show possession, or ownership, of something.

To make a singular noun possessive, add 's.

To make a plural noun possessive, you usually add an apostrophe AFTER the s.

Multiple Choice

How would you make this possessive?

The locker of the girl is a mess.

• The girl's locker is a mess.

• The girls' locker is a mess.

• The girls locker is a mess.

Multiple Choice

How would you make this possessive?

The television belonging to Kelly was too loud!

• Kelly's television was too loud!

• Kellys' television was too loud!

• Kellys television was too loud

Multiple Choice

How would you make this possessive?

The books belonging to the two boys were on the floor.

• The boy's books were on the floor.

• The boys' books were on the floor.

• The boys books were on the floor.

Multiple Choice

Change the phrase into a possessive noun.

The strings of the guitar

• the guitars' strings

• the guitar's strings

• the guitars strings

Multiple Choice

Change the phrase into a possessive noun.

The tires of the truck

• the truck's tires

• the truck tires

• the trucks' tires

Plural Nouns DON'T use apostrophes!

• When you make a plural, you usually add -s to the end: cats, books, movies, cookies

• Irregular nouns may change form: mouse to mice, man to men, child to children, cactus to cacti

• Some English words are plural AND singular: sheep, moose, deer

Multiple Choice

Plural of a leaf

• leafs

• leafes

• leaves

Multiple Choice

Plural of a bottle

• bottles

• bottless

• bottls

Multiple Choice

Plural of city

• citys

• cities

• citis

Multiple Choice

Plural of a wife

• wifes

• wifs

• wives

What if a group has something?

That's Called Plural Possessive

Plural Possession: Plural Words that End in -s

• Examples: babies, cats, staplers, books, shirts

• In order to turn plural nouns that end in -s into plural possessive nouns, add the apostrophe ' after the -s. Ex: cats'

• Example 1: Some of the books' pages were torn from years of students reading the books. *Look for clue words (books) that help signal it's talking about more than one book.

• Example 2: The babies' strollers were all lined up in an orderly fashion at the park.

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

________ Chromebooks need to be charged every night.

• Kids

• Kids's

• Kids'

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Several of the ______ lunches were prepared as to-go orders rather than dine-in orders.

• ladys'

• ladies

• ladies'

• ladies's

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Some of the __________ collars fell off when they were busy playing with one another.

• puppy's

• puppys'

• puppies's

• puppies'

Plural Possession: Plural Words that do not end in -s

• Examples: men, women, geese, children, mice

• In order to turn plural nouns that do not end in -s into plural possessive nouns, add 's to the end of the word. ex: men...men's

• The geese's feathers covered the ground when they went flying off from the car's horn scaring all of the geese. *Remember that geese is the plural form of goose. It does not end in-s.

• Example 2: The men's cars were cleaned and ready for the car show to start.

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

The _________ opinions didn't affect the outcome of the meeting.

• people

• peoples'

• people's

• peoples's

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

As the dental hygienist examined the _______ surfaces, he noticed the child hadn't been brushing correctly.

• tooth's

• tooths

• teeths'

• teeth's

More Practice

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Because of neglect, numerous ____________ foundations were crumbling.

• buildings'

• buildings

• building's

• buildings's

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Six ______ wool was used to create an extra large blanket.

• sheep's

• sheeps

• sheeps's

• sheeps'

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

At the department store, the _________ dressing room was across the store from the men's.

• woman's

• womans'

• women's

• womens'

Contractions Using "is" also use apostrophes

Contractions are a combination of two words. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter(s). Do not mistake them for possessive nouns.

Fill in the Blanks

Use an apostrophe to shorten the underlined words:

He is not going to the game.

Fill in the Blanks

Use an apostrophe to form the contraction of the underlined words:

That is definitely the problem!

Let's Review

Multiple Choice

Possessive, Contraction, or Plural?

The Pony Express's name comes from the mail carriers riding ponies.

• possessive

• contraction

• plural

Multiple Choice

plural noun for bus is ....

• buses

• buss

• bus

Multiple Choice

Select the correct use of a possessive noun for the phrase below.

the cars of the parents

• the parents' cars

• the parent's cars

Multiple Choice

Select the correct use of a possessive noun for the phrase below.

the adventures of the dogs

• the dogs' adventures

• the dog's adventures

Multiple Choice

Select the correct use of a possessive noun for the phrase below.

the skin of the apples

• the apples' skin

• the apple's skin

• the apples skin

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Some of the __________ collars fell off when they were busy playing with one another.

• puppy's

• puppys'

• puppies's

• puppies'

Multiple Choice

Determine the proper form of the word to make each sentence contextually correct. Watch the word clues to know when the word should be in plural or possessive form.

Several of the ______ lunches were prepared as to-go orders rather than dine-in orders.

• ladys'

• ladies

• ladies'

• ladies's

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural? man's 

• singular possessive

• plural possessive

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural? artists'

• singular possessive

• plural possessive

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural? children's

• singular possessive

• plural possessive

Multiple Choice

Change the phrase into a possessive noun.  the dresses belonging to the women

• the womens' dresses

• the women's dresses

Multiple Choice

Change the phrase into a possessive noun.  the homework belonging to the child

• the child's homework

• the childs' homework

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural?

man's

• singular possessive

• plural possessive

Multiple Choice

Possessive, Contraction, or Plural?

The mail prices once cost five dollars for a letter.

• possessive

• contraction

• plural

Multiple Choice

Possessive, Contraction, or Plural?

The Pony Express -- that's the basis for the modern postal system.

• possessive

• contraction

• plural