myQBook English Grammar Concepts




Making Nouns Possessive

Most regular nouns can be turned into a possessive form to show ownership. Here are some important rules to know before converting a noun to a possessive noun.

  1. When the noun is singular and does not end with an s, the possessive is formed by adding ’s (apostrophe + s) to the noun. For example: the king’s crown, the boy’s hair.
  2. When the noun is singular and ends with an s, the modern approach is to add just the apostrophe to form the possessive. For example: Thomas' chair, the bus’ wheels.

    Some people prefer to use the traditional approach of adding both the apostrophe and the s after the noun. For example: Thomas's chair, the bus’s wheels.
  3. When the noun is plural and does not end with an s, the possessive is formed by adding 's (apostrophe + s) to the noun. For example: women’s club, mice's cheese.
  4. When the noun is plural and ends with an s, the possessive is formed by adding just the apostrophe. For example: girls’ school, horses’ tails.
  5. When the noun consists of multiple words, the 's is added only to the last word. For example: the President of Australia’s visit, the Statue of Liberty's torch.
  6. Sometimes, possessives are too wordy and awkward to use. When this happens, use the preposition “of” to show the possession. For example:
    the brothers-in-law’s hobbies → the hobbies of the brothers-in-law,
    the president’s cabinet’s decision → the decision of the president’s cabinet.

 





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Possessive Nouns
Compound Nouns

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