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. 📝😊
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. 📝😊