Apostrophe for Possession

Apostrophes!

How do we use apostrophes correctly?

We use apostrophes for 3 things:

• To show possession

• To replace omitted letters (contractions)

• To show plural letters, numbers, and symbols

Possession

To show possession, always add an 's unless the noun is plural and ends in s, in which case add only the apostrophe

Example 1

Wrong: Tonys hat is on the floor

Correct: Tony's hat is on the floor.

Example 2

Wrong: Louis' scarf is 3 feet long.

Correct: Louis's scarf is 3 feet long.

*Louis does end in s, but it is not plural.

Possesion

Example 3

Wrong: Both players's jerseys were soaked with sweat.

Correct: Both players' jerseys were soaked with sweat.

Multiple Choice

Writing code for applications and websites requires a lot of complexity to be stored in the programmers mind at any one time.

• NO CHANGE

• programmer's mind

• programmers' mind

• programmers mind's

Multiple Choice

Because their families are wealthy, each of my friends' houses has a swimming pool.

• NO CHANGE

• friend's houses

• friends houses

• friends houses'

Multiple Choice

The teacher told us that the semester's grades will be released a week from now.

• NO CHANGE

• semesters grades

• semesters' grades

• grade's for the semester

Multiple Choice

Every day, I look at the weeks deadline and make sure I'm on track to meet them.

• NO CHANGE

• weeks'

• week's

• weeks's

Multiple Choice

Known for his powerful hooks, Mike Tyson was once one of boxings most fearsome competitors.

• NO CHANGE

• boxings

• boxing's

• one of boxing's

The 4 Possessive Apostrophe Rules

1. ​A singular noun with no s on the end

   1. ​add 's (dog's collar)

2. ​A singular noun with an s on the end

   1. ​add 's (bus's route)

3. ​Plural nouns with no s on the end

   1. ​add 's (children's group)

4. ​Plural nouns with an s on the end

   1. ​only add ' (all the trees' leaves)

Just follow these steps

​1. Change the possessive to a statement with "that belongs to"

​Addison's phone -> The phone that belongs to Addison

​

​2. Now the possessor is clear.

• ​Is the possessor singular or plural? (one or more than one)

  • ​Singular (just one)

    • ​'s​

  • ​Plural (more than one)

    • ​Does not end in s = 's

    • ​Ends in s = just '

​Let's do one together

​Puppies first attempts at navigating stairs produce excited responses from owners, who stimulate and assist the animals by placing them two steps from the bottom to make the journey seem less daunting.

​

​A. NO CHANGE

​B. Puppy's

​C. Puppys

​D. Puppies'

Multiple Choice

After school, Susan helped Shaun change the tire of his parents car before he dropped her off at home.

• NO CHANGE

• his parents'

• Shaun's parents

• Shauns parents'

Multiple Choice

We design the frosting pattern on the cake's tiers layer by layer.

• NO CHANGE

• cakes tiers,

• cakes tiers

• tier's for the cake,

Multiple Choice

Upon hearing the news of the mayor's choice for city dog catcher, the citys residents took up a petition to show their disapproval.

• NO CHANGE

• cities

• cities'

• city's

Multiple Choice

To save time and still meet their customer's needs, butchers began trimming the fat and removing bones from cuts of meat.

• NO CHANGE

• needs' of the customers,

• customers' needs,

• customers needs,

Multiple Choice

By the end of the day, Jacksonville's students had collected only seventy-five signatures on their petition.

• NO CHANGE

• Jacksonville's student's

• Jacksonvilles student's

• Jacksonvilles students