A possessive noun shows that something belongs to someone: the dog’s bone. You know kinds of nouns and plurals; the trick with possessives is to start from the right form of the owner word, one or more than one.
| Owner | Rule | Possessive |
|---|---|---|
| one dog | add ’s | the dog’s bowl |
| two dogs | plural ends in s: add ’ only | the dogs’ bowl |
| the children | plural without s: add ’s | the children’s game |
| the Smiths (a family) | plural ends in s: add ’ only | the Smiths’ house |
| Ana and Ben (one shared thing) | add ’s to the last name | Ana and Ben’s project |
Key idea
Write the owner word first, singular or plural, exactly as it is. If it is plural and ends in s, add only an apostrophe. Otherwise add ’s.
Why it works
In speech, “the girl’s coats” and “the girls’ coats” sound the same. On the page, the apostrophe’s place tells the reader how many owners there are: one girl, or many.
Worked example: A plural owner
Write it as a possessive: “the toys of the babies”
- The owner word: babies. Plural, ends in s.
- Add only an apostrophe.
Answer: the babies’ toys
Worked example: An irregular plural
Write it as a possessive: “the hats of the men”
- The owner word: men. Plural, but it doesn’t end in s.
- Add ’s.
Answer: the men’s hats
Common mistake
Using an apostrophe to make a plural: “Apple’s for sale.” A plural takes no apostrophe: “Apples for sale.” Names ending in s: guides differ. Chicago and MLA write James’s; AP writes James’. Purdue OWL recommends James’s and accepts James’. Use one style consistently.