Possessive Nouns

Whose case is it?

Learning Target
✓ By the end of the lesson, students
should be able to ascertain and apply
the correct inflections when converting
singular, plural, common and proper
nouns into their possessive cases by
writing the correct possessive noun in
various sentences.
❑ 9-10.L.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Refresher — Common and Proper Nouns
✓ Common nouns name general people, locations
or objects.
o Examples: fire fighter, country, jeans
✓ Common nouns can be countable or
noncountable objects.
o Examples: coins, water
✓ Common nouns are usually not capitalized
unless they begin a sentence or written in title
case.
✓ Proper nouns name specific people, locations or
objects and are always capitalized.
o Examples: Chief Joe Ashton, France, Levi’s
Refresher — Common and Proper Nouns
Tina offered Antonio one of her mother's
homemade oatmeal cookies but only
an Oreo would satisfy his sweet tooth.
o cookies: common noun
o Oreo: proper noun
Charlie had wanted an easygoing teacher for
English, but he got Mrs. Hacket, whose short
temper and absurd workload made the semester
a torture.
o teacher: common noun
o Mrs. Hacket: proper noun
Refresher — Plural Nouns

✓A noun becomes plural when there is

more than one. For example, if the noun
is ‘assignment,’ you add an “s” to signify
there is more than one assignment.

She did the assignment before the deadline.

(singular)
All the assignments have been turned in on
time. (plural)
What makes a noun possessive?
✓ A noun becomes possessive to express “ownership”
or “possession.” You typically add an apostrophe +
“s” (’s) to signify singular noun possession.

Those are the student’s books, not the library’s.

✓ An apostrophe + “s” (’s) are added to the singular

nouns “student” and “library” to signify who
possesses the books.

✓ An apostrophe + “s” (’s) distinguishes possessive

from the plural.
Plural vs. possessive nouns
✓ Plural
and possessive gets confusing
because the rules vary depending on:
o Proper noun
o Proper noun ending in “s”
o Common noun
o Common noun ending in “s”
Table for writing possessive nouns
Proper Proper Common Common
noun noun noun noun
ending in ending
“s” in “s”
Plural/no Add an Add an Add an
possessive “s” “es” Add an “s” “es”

Singular/possessive Add an ’s Add an ’ Add an ’s Add an ’s

Singular/possessive
followed by a word Add an ’
that begins with the
letter S

Plural possessive Add an s’ Add es’ Add s’ Add es’

Possessives vs. plurals
✓ Here are rules for proper nouns:
o Plural / no possessive (add an s)
The Tanners just returned from
vacation.
o Singular / possessive (add an ’s)
Mike Tanner’s lawn looks nice.
o Plural possessive (add s’)
The Tanners’ house burned down.
Possessives vs. plurals
✓ Here are rules for proper nouns
ending in “s”:
o Plural / no possessive (add an es)
The Joneses just returned from
vacation.
o Singular / possessive (add an ’)
Jay Jones’ lawn looks nice.
o Plural possessive (add es’)
The Joneses’ house burned down.
Possessives vs. plurals
✓ Rules for common nouns:
o Plural / no possessive (add an s)
The chairs need to be repaired.
o Singular / possessive (add an ’s)
That chair’s upholstery is torn.
o Plural possessive (add s’)
All the chairs’ legs are loose.
Possessives vs. plurals
✓ Rules for common nouns ending in “s”:
o Plural / no possessive (add an es)
The actresses have arrived.
o Singular / possessive (add an ’s)
The actress’s role was eliminated.
o Singular / possessive followed by an “s”
word: (add an ’)
The actress’ salary demand was too
high.
o Plural possessive (add es’)
All the actresses’ paychecks were late.
Rule Exceptions
✓ There is a rule exception when a
word that ends with s is followed
by a word that begins with the
letter “s”:
o Singular possessive
The boss’s assistant is out sick
today.
The boss’ secretary is out sick
today.
Table for writing possessive nouns
The Smiths/Smith's/Smiths' vacation home is in St.
Johns.
Proper Proper Common Common
noun noun noun noun 1. Determine how the noun is written in its singular
ending in ending in form.
“s” “s” In the example above, it would be “Smith.”

Plural/no possessive Add an Add an Add an 2. Determine if the noun is singular or plural. In the
“s” “es” Add an “s” “es” example above. “Smith” is a surname and refers to
two or more individuals of the Smith family.
Therefore, “Smith” would be a plural noun in the
Singular/possessive Add an ’s Add an ’ Add an ’s Add an ’s example above.

Singular/possessive 3. Determine whether the word is a common or proper

followed by a word Add an ’ noun. In the example above, “Smith” is a proper
that begins with the noun.
letter S
4. Use the information gathered from the previous two
steps and use the table to find the box where the
Plural possessive Add an s’ Add es’ Add s’ Add es’ rows and columns intersect.

5. In the example above, you would add an “s’” to the

proper noun “Smith” to indicate plural possessive.

6. Therefore, the correct answer is: The Smiths'

vacation home is in St. Johns.
Possessives vs. plurals
✓ Some nouns are already plural. An
apostrophe + s (’s) in those cases
signifies plural possession.
o The childrens/childrens’/children’s
museum.
o The womens/womens’/women’s
conference.
Children and women are already plural nouns! The
other two usages would NEVER be correct.
Possessives vs. descriptive phrases
✓ Ifyou can turn the phrase around and
insert the preposition for in between the
words, it’s a descriptive phrase rather
than truly possessive and does not need
the apostrophe or ’s.
o Citizens band radio (a radio band for
citizens)
o Teachers college (a college for teachers, not
a college owned by teachers)
Rule Exceptions
✓ Nounsplural in form but singular in
meaning add only an apostrophe:
o mumps’ effects
o General Motors’ losses
✓ Whenan inanimate object is doing the
possessing, it is better to use the
prepositions of or at:
o the effects of mumps
o the losses at General Motors
Rule Exceptions
✓ BEWARE! Business owners,
corporations and royalty often
break grammatical rules.
o Caesars Palace
• Correct form: Caesar’s Palace
o St. James’s Palace
• Correct form: St. James’ Palace
Omitting Needless Words
✓ Possessive nouns can be used to trim wordy
phrases and clauses.
o Read the essay that Curtis wrote. It's so funny
that you'll snort your coffee!
o Read Curtis’ essay. It's so funny you'll snort your
coffee!
o (proper noun ending in “s,” singular)

o We didn't want to destroy the nests the birds had

built, so we waited until winter to cut down the old
oak tree.
o We didn't want to destroy the birds’ nests, so we
waited until winter to cut the old oak tree.
o (common noun, plural)