Expert School

POSSESSIVES

Known as possessive -‘s, genitive -‘s or Saxon genitive.  We use it to show that something belongs to somebody. Read about the different uses in the boxes and do the exercises

SINGULAR NOUNS

We add -‘s to a singular noun:

the boy’s ball

the girl’s father

the pupil’s classroom

PLURAL NOUNS

We add an apostrophe (‘) to a plural noun:

the boys’ ball

the girls’ father

the pupils’ classroom

PROPER NOUNS (NAMES)

Both uses in the examples are allowed:

Chris’ dog and/or Chris’s dog

Doris’ cat and/or Doris’s cat

BUT: Moses’ and Jesus’

IRREGULAR NOUNS

the child’s / children’s dog

the mouse’s / mice’s food

the man’s / men’s car

the hero’s / heroes’ fear

the wolf’s / wolves’ den

-‘s vs of

We can use of instead of -‘s, but -‘s is more usual and natural:

the mother of my son

my son’s mother

Teacher: Anna