Forming the Possessive

The possessive case is used to show ownership or a relationship between things. We form it using an apostrophe (').

Singular Nouns

To make a singular noun possessive, simply add an apostrophe + s ('s) to the end of the word.

• The dog's collar is blue. (The collar belongs to one dog.)
• Sarah's laptop is on the table.
• The car's engine is making a strange noise.

If a singular noun already ends in s (like James or boss), you usually still add 's.

• James's car is very fast.
• My boss's office is down the hall.

Plural Nouns

If the noun is plural and already ends in s (like boys or teachers), you just add an apostrophe (') at the end. Do NOT add an extra "s".

• The boys' treehouse is huge. (The treehouse belongs to multiple boys.)
• The teachers' lounge is closed today.

However, if the plural noun is irregular and does NOT end in "s" (like men, women, children), you must add 's.

• The children's toys are everywhere.
• Where is the women's restroom?

Joint vs. Separate Ownership

When two people own something together, only put the apostrophe on the final name:

• Ben and Jerry's ice cream is delicious. (They own the same company.)

When two people own things separately, put the apostrophe on both names:

• Ben's and Jerry's cars are both parked outside. (They own two different cars.)