What Possessed You?

What are nouns?

A

noun is a part of speech that names a person, place, or thing.

What is a possessive noun?

A

possessive noun is a noun that "owns" something else in the sentence.

For example:
The

airplane's engine was loud. The airplane "owns" the engine. Possessive nouns are often shown with apostrophes.

Can you make this sentence possessive?

Miguel

car.

owns that

Answer:
That

car.

is Miguel's

Remember:
When

there is use of a possessive, the question "Who owns it?" can be asked and answered.

Mine!

Which answer best fits in the blank?

____________ bicycle is broken.
A. Seths' B. Sethes C. Seths D. Seth's

Which answer best fits in the blank?

____________ bicycle is broken.
A. Seths' B. Sethes C. Seths D. Seth's

Do not confuse possessive words with plural words!

Possessive

words show ownership. The Blacks dollhouse is small. Plural words show more than one. Those girls are friendly.

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The trash can will attract a lot of ____________ if you leave the lid off. A. flys B. flies C. flie's D. fly's

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The trash can will attract a lot of ____________ if you leave the lid off. A. flys

B. flies C. flie's D. fly's

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The ____________________ skin is red. A. tomatoes B. tomato's C. tomatos' D. tomatos's

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The ____________________ skin is red. A. tomatoes
B. C. D.

tomato's
tomatos' tomatos's

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The desert is home to many kinds of _______________. A. animal B. animals C. animal's D. animals'

Which answer best fits in the blank?

The desert is home to many kinds of _______________. A. animal
B. animals C. animal's D. animals'

Which answer best fits in the blank?

Kendra has two hamsters named Fuzzy and Furry. The ____________________ cage looks like a tiny house. A. hamsters' B. hamsters C. hamster's D. hamsterers

Which answer best fits in the blank?

Kendra has two hamsters named Fuzzy and Furry. The ____________________ cage looks like a tiny house.
A. hamsters' B. hamsters C. hamster's D. hamsterers

Which answer best fits in the blank?

Billy will carry his ____________ suitcase. A.sister's B.sisters C.sisteres D.sister'

Which answer best fits in the blank?

Billy will carry his ____________ suitcase.

A.sister's B.sisters C.sisteres D.sister'

Which answer best fits in the blank?

I borrowed ___________ sweater. A. Jane's B. Janes C. Jane D. Janes'

Which answer best fits in the blank?

I borrowed _________ I am Jane and this is my sweater. sweater.
A. B. C. D.

Jane's
Janes Jane Janes'

RULE A: SINGULAR NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S, just add s.

Examples: boy=boys; teacherteachers; driver-drivers

RULE B: PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN S OR ES, just add apostrophe.

Examples: horses=horses; churches=churches; books=books

RULE C: COMMON NOUNS WITH MORE THAN ONE SYLLABLE AND ENDING IN S TAKE ONLY AN APOSTROPHE Example: albatross wings; for goodness sake
RULE D: PROPER NOUNS ENDING IN S FORM THE POSSESSIVE IN BOTH WAYS: Examples: Jesus teachings or Jesuss teachings; Moses laws or Mosess laws; Charles manifesto or Charless manifesto Note: Only the apostrophe is preferred in formal writing

RULE E: Compound nouns add the possessive sign to the last member of the group

Examples: mother-in-law=mother inlaws; Prince of Wales=Prince of Wales; son-in-law=son-in-laws

RULE F: In some uses of the possessive case, the idea of ownership is entirely lacking. Examples: a days work, a months salary, a pennys worth

RULE G: The possessive case is not used with inanimate objects; of phrase is employed instead. Example: legs of the chair (not chairs legs); windows of the house (not houses windows) Exceptions: times delay; suns heat; ships mast; earths surface