Unit 15: Using Apostrophes with Possessive Nouns The possessive form of a noun shows that something belongs

to the person, place, or thing named by the noun. Sometimes this relationship is obvious: Margarets computer crashed this morning. [Margaret owns the computer.] The cats food dish is empty. [The dish belongs to the cat.] Some critics find much of Torontos architecture uninspiring. [The architecture belongs to Toronto.] However, in some expressions, the ownership is more metaphoric: The suns rays are hot today. [Suns can be translated as of the sun. Therefore, the suns rays means the rays of the sun.] Tony lost a weeks wages at the casino. [Weeks can be translated as of a week. Therefore, a weeks wages means the wages of a week.] To form the possessive of nouns that do not end in s, add an apostrophe and s. Veldas essay on Barbados was very well written. Toms sisters sail boat is at the marina. [Toms sisters sail boat means the sail boat belonging to the sister of Tom.] The birds wing appears to be broken. The childrens running shoes all have holes. Womens coats are on sale this week. To form the possessive of nouns that do end in s, add only an apostrophe. My parents garden is magnificent this year. [My parents garden means the garden belonging to my parents.] The dogs leashes became badly tangled. [The dogs leashes means the leashes of the dogs.] Exception: The possessive form of a singular one-syllable word ending in s takes an apostrophe and s. We add the extra s sound for the sake of pronunciation. My bosss office is on the third floor. Exception to the exception: In some singular words ending in s, you have a choice: Jamess chemistry textbook was stolen. James chemistry textbook was stolen.

Exercise Directions: Make the possessive form of each of the following nouns. 1. Kathryn ____________________ 2. man ____________________ 3. men ____________________ 4. day ____________________ 5. days ____________________ 6. city ____________________ 7. cities ____________________ 8. Geoffrey ____________________ 9. brother ____________________ 10. sisters ____________________ Exercise Directions: Add apostrophes to the possessive nouns in the following sentences. 1. All of the instructors offices are being repainted. 2. Father picked up the childrens toys, straightened the living room, and then prepared the familys dinner. 3. Johns uncle, who lost his job, now owes two months back rent. 4. All of the students exams have been graded and returned. 5. Bettys mothers coffee table was damaged when the movers dropped it on the sidewalk.