Grammar
Possessive Nouns
A Possessive Noun is used to show possession. It is formed by:
(i) adding an apostrophe 's' ('s) to a singular noun.
Examples:
the boy's cap
the girl's doll
the man's tie
the woman's handbag
the doctor's stethoscope
the elephant's trunk
the patient's medicine
the bird's beak
the cat's tail
the dog's paw
the woman's handbag
the lady's lipstick
the rabbit's long ears
The girl's doll is in the closet.
The patient's medicine is expensive.
My father's car is under repair.
The bird's nest is in the tree.
The dog's owner is Mr. Joe.
The cat's whiskers are long.
(ii) adding an apostrophe (') to a plural noun ending in 's'.
Examples:
the boys' cap
the girls' dolls
the students' bicycles
the cats' tails
the hunters' rifles
the nurses' uniforms
the drivers' cabs
the dogs' paws
the elephants' trunks
the farmers' farms
the birds' beaks
The boys' caps are new.
The managers' cars were stolen.
The cats' tails are long.
The birds' beaks are sharp.
The farmers' farms have been sold.
The giraffes' necks are long.
(iii) adding an apostrophe 's' ('s) to a plural noun that does not end in 's'.
Examples:
the men's shavers
the women's earrings
the children's toys
the postmen's motorcycles
the mice's nests
the geese's wings
the oxen's horns
The men's shavers are on the table.
The women's earrings are expensive.
The children's toys are neatly arranged on the shelves.
The mice's nests were destroyed.
The boys took away the geese's eggs.
The farmer is building the oxen's shed.
For non-living things, we do not use apostrophe 's' or apostrophe to show possession. We use 'of the' instead.
Examples:the legs of the table
the pedals of the bicycle
the hour-hand of the clock
the nip of the pen
the roof of the house
the handle of the kettle
the wheels of the motorcycle
the antenna of the radio
An owl is perching on the roof of the house.
The hour hand of the clock is shorter than the minute hand.
One of the wheels of the truck had punctured.
The handle of the kettle is broken.
The nip of the pen is missing.
The cover of the book is torn.
Exercises
A. Rewrite the following expressions, making them plural.
e.g. the doctor's house - the doctors' houses
1. the artist's drawing - __________________________
2. the boy's shirt - __________________________
3. the girl's dress - __________________________
4. the mechanic's tool - __________________________
5. the man's tie - __________________________
6. the woman's watch - __________________________
7. the butcher's cleaver - __________________________
8. the child's book - __________________________
9. the artist's drawing - __________________________
10. the fisherman's net - __________________________
11. the rooster's comb - __________________________
12. the king's crown - __________________________
13. the frog's tongue - __________________________
14. the student's eraser - __________________________
15. the lady's headband - __________________________
B. Rewrite the following expressions, making them singular.
e.g. the doctors' houses - the doctor's house
1. the horses' hoofs - __________________________
2. the men's children - __________________________
3. the bats' wings - __________________________
4. the teenagers' skateboards - __________________________
5. the tourists' passports - __________________________
6. the passengers' tickets - __________________________
7. the crabs' pincers - __________________________
8. the children's books - __________________________
9. the shepherds' sheep - __________________________
10. the eagles' claws - __________________________
11. the youths' vans - __________________________
12. the professors' students - __________________________
13. the poets' poems - __________________________
14. the grasshoppers' feelers - __________________________
15. the kids' toys - __________________________
C. Rewrite the following sentences, adding the apostrophe 's' correctly.
1. The mans shoes are made of crocodile hide.
2. Lindas pet cat is named Kitty.
3. My fathers coat is expensive.
4. The storks beak is long.
5. Your dogs ear is bleeding.
6. The policemans boots are shiny.
7. Tommys birthday party will be held tomorrow.
8. Emmas arm is swollen from a bee sting.
9. My grandmothers house is large.
10. The principals voice is loud and clear.
Answers
A.
1. the artists' drawings
2. the boys' shirts
3. the girls' dresses
4. the mechanics' tools
5. the men's ties
6. the women's watches
7. the butchers' cleavers
8. the children's books
9. the artists' drawings
10. the fishermen's nets
11. the roosters' combs
12. the kings' crowns
13. the frogs' tongues
14. the students' erasers
15. the ladies' headbands
B.
1. the horse's hoof
2. the man's child
3. the bat's wing
4. the teenager's skateboard
5. the tourist's passport
6. the passenger's ticket
7. the crab's pincer
8. the child's book
9. the shepherd's sheep
10. the eagle's claw
11. the youth's van
12. the professor's student
13. the poet's poem
14. the grasshopper's feeler
15. the kid's toy
C.
1. The man's shoes are made of crocodile hide.
2. Linda's pet cat is named Kitty.
3. My father's coat is expensive.
4. The stork's beak is long.
5. Your dog's ear is bleeding.
6. The policeman's boots are shiny
7. Tommy's birthday party will be held tomorrow.
8. Emma's arm is swollen from a bee sting.
9. My grandmother's house is large.
10. The principal's voice is loud and clear.