Apostrophe Used to Show Possession ✍️

An apostrophe ( ’ ) is used to show possession, meaning that something belongs to someone or something. This is one of the most important uses of the apostrophe in English. When we add an apostrophe, we show who owns or possesses something. 😊

🔹 1. Possession with Singular Nouns

For most singular nouns, we add ’s to show ownership.

The girl’s bag 🎒 (the bag belongs to the girl)
The teacher’s book 📘
The dog’s bone 🦴
The child’s toy 🧸
My brother’s bicycle 🚲

🔹 2. Possession with Plural Nouns Ending in -s

If the noun is plural and already ends with s, we add only an apostrophe ( ’ ) after the s.

The students’ classroom 🏫
The teachers’ meeting
The cars’ engines 🚗

🔹 3. Possession with Plural Nouns NOT Ending in -s

If the plural noun does not end in s, we add ’s.

The children’s playground 🛝
The men’s uniforms
The women’s handbags 👜

🔹 4. Possession with Names Ending in -s

For names ending in s, both forms are acceptable, but the most common is ’s.

James’s car
Chris’s laptop
The Joneses’ house (family name, plural)

🔹 5. Possession of Things

We can also show possession with things, places, or groups.

The country’s population 🌍
The school’s rules
The company’s offices
✨ Summary
Use an apostrophe to show ownership, but remember the correct form depends on whether the noun is singular, plural, or ends with s. Apostrophes make writing clearer and more meaningful. 📝😊

Quiz: Apostrophes in Contractions ✍️

Score: 0
Select an option to check — correct answer will appear

✍️Apostrophe Used in Contractions

What is an apostrophe in contractions?
The apostrophe (’ or ‘) is used to form contractions — shortened forms of words created by leaving out letters. The apostrophe shows where the letters were removed. Contractions make speech and informal writing sound natural and friendly. They are common in conversation, emails, stories, and when we want a conversational tone 😊.

🔧 How contractions are formed

A contraction combines two words into one by removing letters and inserting an apostrophe where the missing letters belong. For example, do not → don’t (the o is removed and replaced by an apostrophe).

📘 Common contractions & examples

I am → I’mI’m going to school now.
You are → you’reYou’re my best friend.
He is → he’sHe’s reading a book.
She will → she’llShe’ll arrive soon.
It is / It has → it’sIt’s raining. / It’s been a long day.
They are → they’reThey’re playing outside.
Cannot → can’tYou can’t enter without a ticket 🎫.
Do not → don’tI don’t like spinach.
Did not → didn’tShe didn’t finish her homework.
I have → I’veI’ve seen that movie already.

✅ Important common rules & warnings

It’s vs Its: It’s = it is / it has (contraction). Its (no apostrophe) = belonging to it. Example: It’s cold today. vs The dog wagged its tail.

You’re vs Your: You’re = you are. Your = belonging to you. Example: You’re late. vs Is this your pen?

Do not use apostrophes to make plurals of ordinary nouns (no ’s for plurals). Incorrect: apple’s for more than one apple. ✅ Correct: apples.

Formal writing caution: Contractions are fine in speech and informal writing, but use full forms (do not, cannot, it is) in formal essays and some exams ✍️.

🔎 More examples in sentences

  • He’ll come later — short for He will.
  • She’s finished her work — short for She has or She is (use context to decide).
  • We’ve been waiting for an hour — short for We have.
  • They’ve never seen the sea — short for They have.
  • I’d love to help — contraction of I would or I had (context matters).

Vocabulary – MCQ Quiz 2

Vocabulary – Fill in the Blanks – Part 2

Select the Correct Word

Vocabulary – Fill in the Blanks – Part 1

Select the Correct Word

Vocabulary MCQ Quiz

Vocabulary from the Dialogue

Here are some useful vocabulary words from the conversation, along with their meanings and how they were used.

1. Crowded (Adjective)

Meaning: Filled with many people or things; packed.

In the dialogue: “The bus is crowded today.”

2. Manage (Verb)

Meaning: To succeed in doing something, especially something difficult.

In the dialogue: “By the way, did you manage to find facts for the debate next week?”

3. Debate

Meaning: A formal discussion on a particular topic in which opposing arguments are put forward.

In the dialogue: “…did you manage to find facts for the debate next week?”

4. Propose

Meaning: To put forward an idea or plan for consideration by other people.

In the dialogue: “We’ve got to propose the idea ‘Discipline cannot be achieved only through laws’.”

5. Achieve

Meaning: To successfully reach a goal or result, usually by effort, skill, or courage.

In the dialogue: “Discipline cannot be achieved only through laws.”

6. Articles

Meaning: Pieces of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or on the internet.

In the dialogue: “I’ve read some articles about it.”

7. Timely (Adjective)

Meaning: Happening or done at a good or useful time.

In the dialogue: “My mother says it’s a timely topic that all school children should be made aware of.”

8. Aware (of)

Meaning: Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.

In the dialogue: “…that all school children should be made aware of.”

9. Impose

Meaning: To force something (like a rule or a belief) to be accepted or put in place.

In the dialogue: “Discipline cannot be imposed only through laws.”

10. Vandalism

Meaning: The action of deliberately destroying or damaging public or private property.

In the dialogue: “There is an article on vandalism too in my sister’s collection of articles.”

11. Offer

Meaning: To present or give something for someone to accept or reject.

In the dialogue: “I’ll offer my seat to her.”

12. Planned

Meaning: To have decided on and arranged in advance.

In the dialogue: “I’ve planned to visit the local library too.”

13. Downloaded

Meaning: To have copied data from one computer system (like the internet) to another (like your computer).

In the dialogue: “My sister also downloaded some articles from the internet.”

14. Interesting

Meaning: Arousing curiosity or holding one’s attention.

In the dialogue: “It’s quite an interesting topic, isn’t it?”

15. Discipline (Noun)

Meaning: The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior.

In the dialogue: “Discipline cannot be imposed only through laws.”

16. Repeat

Meaning: To say something again.

In the dialogue: “Can you please repeat the word?”

17. Discuss

Meaning: To talk about something with another person or group of people.

In the dialogue: “…and discuss more at school.”

18. Pregnant

Meaning: (Of a woman) having a child or young developing in the uterus.

In the dialogue: “Oh! Here comes a pregnant mother.”

19. Rather

Meaning: Used to express a preference.

In the dialogue: “…or would you rather sit here?”

20. Facts

Meaning: Information that is known or proved to be true.

In the dialogue: “…did you manage to find facts for the debate next week?”

21. Library

Meaning: A building or room containing collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music for use or borrowing.

In the dialogue: “I’ve planned to visit the local library too.”

22. Idea

Meaning: A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.

In the dialogue: “We’ve got to propose the idea…”

23. Laws

Meaning: The system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members.

In the dialogue: “…achieved only through laws.”

24. Collection

Meaning: A group of things that have been gathered or assembled.

In the dialogue: “…in my sister’s collection of articles.”

A Conversation on the Bus

Vikum – Good morning Chamindu! The bus is crowded today. Give me your school bag or would you rather sit here?

Chamindu – Good morning! Thank you Vikum. It’s not too far. Just keep my bag.

Vikum – Sure. By the way, did you manage to find facts for the debate next week?

Chamindu – Yes. I’ve planned to visit the local library too.

Vikum – We’ve got to propose the idea “Discipline cannot be achieved only through laws”.

Chamindu – Yes. I’ve read some articles about it. My sister also downloaded some articles from the internet. It’s quite an interesting topic, isn’t it?

Vikum – Of course! My mother says it’s a timely topic that all school children should be made aware of.

Chamindu – I think so too. Discipline cannot be imposed only through laws.

Vikum – Hmm… It will be an interesting debate.

Chamindu – There is an article on vandalism too in my sister’s collection of articles.

Vikum – What’s that? I’ve never heard that word before. Can you please repeat the word?

Chamindu – Van-da-lism. Let’s read my sister’s articles and discuss more at school.

Vikum – Oh! Here comes a pregnant mother. I’ll offer my seat to her.

Quiz 05 / The Wonder of the Bio World

Test your knowledge about the wonder of the bio world.

ප්‍රශ්න පත්තරය 05

පරිසරය සහ ජීව ලෝකය පිළිබඳ ප්‍රශ්නාවලිය

1. මිනිසා විසින් සාදන ලද වස්තුවක් වන්නේ කුමක්ද?

2. පාසල් වත්තක සිටින සමනලුන් වැනි කෘමීන් බහුලව ගැවසෙන්නේ කොහේද?

3. පහත සඳහන් දේවලින් ජීවයක් නොමැති දෙය කුමක්ද?

4. “ජීව ලෝකයේ අසිරිය” යන්නෙන් අදහස් කරන්නේ කුමක් විය හැකිද?

5. පන්ති කාමරය සහ පාසල් වත්ත නිරීක්ෂණය කිරීමේ ප්‍රධාන අරමුණ කුමක්ද?

🎉 ඔබගේ ප්‍රශ්නාවලී ප්‍රතිඵලය 🎉

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