A Plural Noun Is MORE THAN ONE Person, Place, Thing, Or Idea

Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns show ownership. When you are trying to create a possessive noun, you first need to decide if it is singular or plural.

A Singular Noun is ONE person, place, thing, or idea. Singular nouns usually have the singular article(s) a, an, one, in front of them.

Examples:girlDVD

mouseArizona

flowerdream

A Plural Noun is MORE THAN ONE person, place, thing, or idea.

Examples:girls

mice

DVDs

There are four main rules to consider when attempting to establish possession in writing:

RULE #1: ANY SINGULAR NOUN

With a singular noun, add anapostrophe and an s:

The book of the girl = The girl’s book

The class of the student = The student’s class

The food dish of the cat = The cat’s food dish

RULE #2: PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN ‘S’

With plural nounsending in ‘s’, add an apostrophe after the s:

The book that belongs to three girls = The girls’ book

The class that belongs to twenty students = The students’ class

The food dish that two cats share = The cats’ food dish

RULE #3: PLURAL NOUNS NOT ENDING IN ‘S’

When a plural noun is irregular, it may not end in an ‘s’. In such cases, you simply add an apostrophe + s at the end of the word.

The game of the children = The children’sgame

The club of the women = The women’sclub

The golf game of four men = The men’sgame

RULE #4: ANY NOUN THAT ALREADY ENDS IN AN ‘S’

When a plural or singular noun already ends in an s, you maysimply add and apostrophe.

The tip of the waitress = The waitress’ tip . . . Not the waitress’s tip

The competition of the classes = The classes’ competition

POSSESSIVE NOUNS I

Name:

Change the information into the possessive form.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

Rule #1 REVIEW

1. The teacher of one student =

1. The eyes of one cat =

1. The memo of one person =

1. The laughter of one baby =

1. The rights of one state =

1. The feathers of one duck =

1. The treat of one dog =

1. The diploma of one senior =

1. The message of one worker =

1. The C.D. of one singer =

RULE #2 REVIEW

1. The car shared by two sisters =

1. The graduation ceremony of 200 seniors =

1. The lounge shared by all S.V.H.S. teachers =

1. The water dish shared by three dogs =

1. The driveway shared by two homes =

1. The party thrown by four co-workers =

1. The lair shared by two dragons =

1. The desk shared by three students =

1. The stereo shared by two brothers =

1. The candy shared by five kids =

RULE #3 REVIEW

1. The toys shared by the children =

1. The cheese shared by two mice =

1. The convention of many firemen =

1. The meowing of several kittens =

1. The meadow of dozens of deer =

1. The wool of hundreds of sheep =

1. The pasture of two oxen =

1. The locker room of all women =

1. The nerves of many teeth =

1. The restroom for men =

RULE #4 REVIEW

1. The convention of four cities =

1. The winner of one series =

1. The sections of many waitresses =

1. The section of one waitress =

1. The route of one bus =

1. The shed of five busses =

1. The rotation of the axis =

1. The pot of many lobsters =

1. The sale of several clerks =

1. The shelves of many books =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP I!

Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.

Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The test of one student =

1. The memo of one boss =

1. The bicycle of one boy =

1. The report of many teachers =

1. The duet sung by two singers =

1. The armrest shared by two chairs =

1. The jobs of hundreds of workers =

1. The gills of one fish =

1. The team of eleven players =

1. The lid of one eye =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The tank shared by more than one fish =

1. The C.D. produced by more than one singer =

1. The milk shared by more than one baby cat =

1. The ball shared by more than one baby dog =

1. The forest roamed by more than one moose =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS II

Name:

Change the information into the possessive form.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW

1. The mother of one student =

1. The legs of one horse =

1. The desk of one manager =

1. The tears of one child =

1. The downtown of one city =

1. The eggs of one quail =

1. The needles of one saguaro =

1. The folder of one junior =

1. The locker of one freshman =

1. The movie of one actor =

RULE #2 REVIEW

1. The report shared by two students =

1. The bone shared by four dogs =

1. The stadium owned by all the citizens =

1. The aquarium shared by three snakes =

1. The desk shared by two receptionists =

1. The sweater shared by two friends =

1. The sandwich split by two kindergarteners =

1. The cage shared by two monkeys =

1. The camera owned by three photographers =

1. The café owned by four sisters =

RULE #3: REVIEW

1. The shelter shared by the cavemen =

1. The toy room shared by the children =

1. The pond inhabited by lots of fish =

1. The health care policy of many women =

1. The scholarship fund managed by the policemen =

1. The dance thrown by many firemen =

1. The habitat grazed by many moose =

1. The harbor populated by many shrimp =

1. The project completed my five workmen =

1. The reunion held by many alumnae =

RULE #4: REVIEW

1. The door of the bus =

1. The schedules of the busses =

1. The house of Mr. Angeles =

1. The den of the foxes =

1. The meaning of the flags =

1. The service of the waitress =

1. The meeting of your bosses =

1. The interview with your boss =

1. The project of the students =

1. The strike of the pilots =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP II!

Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.

Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The bed of many flowers =

1. The movie produced by two movie studios =

1. The grade earned by one student =

1. The driveway belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Jones =

1. The desk belonging to the boss =

1. The award belonging to two classes =

1. The boat belonging to many fishermen =

1. The journal belonging to one girl =

1. The feathers belonging to one goose =

1. The meeting held by several bosses =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. A toy shared by more than one child =

1. An interview scheduled by more than one boss =

1. A basket owned by one of a litter of kittens =

1. A party held by one of the teachers =

1. An account opened by Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS III

Name:

Change the information into the possessive form.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW

1. The ball belonging to one tennis player =

1. The flag belonging to one soldier =

1. The shoes belonging to one dancer =

1. The wig worn by one clown =

1. The hole dug by one puppy =

1. The nest built by one bird =

1. The letter sent by one parent =

1. The book written by one author =

1. The sound made by one whale =

1. The cuisine made by one chef =

RULE #2 REVIEW

1. The union of many butchers =

1. The rules of many societies =

1. The agreement between two factories =

1. The nest made by two owls =

1. The business run by three brothers =

1. The class taught by many mechanics =

1. The computer shared by two receptionists =

1. The trials held about six witches =

1. The hats purchased by many buyers =

1. The rooms decorated by two designers =

RULE #3 REVIEW

1. The card signed by three grandchildren =

1. The restroom designated for all men =

1. The pen belonging to many geese =

1. The filing cabinet belonging to the data =

1. The source of the stimuli =

1. The cage of the hippopotami =

1. The disease carried by the lice =

1. The reunion held for the alumnae =

1. The flowers of the cacti =

1. The playground shared by the children =

RULE #4 REVIEW

1. The diagnosis of several doctors =

1. The schedule of all of the tellers at the bank =

1. The apron of the waitress =

1. The door of the bus =

1. The song of many crickets =

1. The lake belonging to many bass =

1. The petals of one hibiscus =

1. The reading of one litmus =

1. The requirements of one syllabus =

1. The properties of phosphorus =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP III!

Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.

Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The phone of one hotel =

1. The field populated by many deer =

1. The game played by many children =

1. The meeting of many teachers =

1. The needle of a compass =

1. The rooms of the campus =

1. The food belonging to one fish =

1. The food belonging to many fish =

1. The donuts made by several bakers =

1. The chocolate made by Hershey =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The packages delivered by more than one mailman =

1. The assignment turned in by more than one student =

1. The pool shared by every neighbor =

1. The restaurant worked by more than one waitress =

1. The needles of more than one cactus =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS IV

Name:

Change the information into the possessive form.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW

1. The candy belonging to the baby =

1. The car of the student =

1. The boat of the officer =

1. The dog of the veterinarian =

1. The words of the poet =

1. The wings of the angel =

1. The exhibits of the museum =

1. The stores of the mall =

1. The actors of a movie =

1. The walls of a castle =

RULE #2 REVIEW

1. The nursery of many babies =

1. The school belonging to 25 teachers =

1. The pen holding many horses =

1. The wings of many dragons =

1. The shop belonging to two bakers =

1. The litter pan belonging to three cats =

1. The practice belonging to five lawyers =

1. The fence shared by two neighbors =

1. The building shared by three businesses =

1. The den shared by six foxes =

RULE #3 REVIEW

1. The club joined by women only =

1. The locker room designated for men =

1. The diseases of many lice =

1. The class of thirty children =

1. The needles of many cacti =

1. The luck of two dice =

1. The findings of the data =

1. The nest of five mice =

1. The aquarium of many fish =

1. The exhibit of five rhinoceri =

RULE #4 REVIEW

1. The lining of the esophagus =

1. The fields of Kansas =

1. The pages of a thesaurus =

1. The pages of many thesauruses =

1. The buttons of a dress =

1. The decay of the carcass =

1. The job of the waitress =

1. The stops of the bus =

1. The stations of the cross =

1. The frame of the canvas =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP IV!

Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.

Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.

Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The paperwork of the business =

1. The meaning of Christmas =

1. The curve of the meniscus =

1. The coat of the zebra =

1. The price of the mattress =

1. The decision of two teachers =

1. The photo of the artist =

1. The certification of the pilot =

1. The pages of the atlas =

1. The journey of many hikers =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The infection created by more than one bacterium =

1. The reserve of more than one cactus =

1. The disease spread by more than one louse =

1. The conglomeration of more than one business =

1. The lemonade stand run by more than one child =