Form the singular or plural possessive
Key Notes:
Understanding Possessives:
- Possessive Nouns: Show ownership or a relationship between one thing and another. For example, in “Anna’s book,” the book belongs to Anna.
Singular Possessive Nouns:
- Form: Add an apostrophe and an “s” to the singular noun.
- Example: The cat’s toy (The toy belongs to one cat).
- Rules:
- For most singular nouns, add ’s.
- Example: The dog’s leash.
- For singular nouns ending in “s,” you can add just an apostrophe or ’s, depending on style guides (e.g., “Chris’s book” or “Chris’ book”).
- For most singular nouns, add ’s.
Plural Possessive Nouns:
- Regular Plural Nouns:
- If the plural noun ends in “s,” add only an apostrophe.
- Example: The cats’ toys (The toys belong to more than one cat).
- If the plural noun ends in “s,” add only an apostrophe.
- Irregular Plural Nouns:
- If the plural noun does not end in “s,” add ’s.
- Example: The children’s playground (The playground belongs to the children).
- If the plural noun does not end in “s,” add ’s.
Practice Identifying and Using Possessives:
- Practice Sentences: Provide sentences where students need to convert singular or plural nouns into their possessive forms.
- Example: “The book of the teacher” becomes “The teacher’s book.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Avoid Adding Apostrophes to Plural Nouns That Aren’t Possessive: For example, “cats” is plural, not possessive, so “cats’” is used only if showing possession.
- Clarify the Difference Between Possessive and Plural Forms: Understand that “cats” means more than one cat, while “cats’” shows something belongs to the cats.
Let’s practice!✒️
