Possessive Nouns: Rules, Examples, and Usage

A possessive noun shows that something belongs to someone or something, and in English it is formed with an apostrophe. Add ‘s to a singular noun (the dog’s bowl, Sarah’s phone) and to a plural that does not end in s (the children’s toys). Add only an apostrophe to a plural that already ends in s (the teachers’ room, my parents’ house). That covers almost every case; the rest of this page deals with the tricky ones (names ending in s, two owners, compound nouns), the difference from its and whose, and over 50 example sentences.

The rules at a glance

How to form it in two steps

1. Write the owner in the form you need first (singular or plural). One boy = boy; several boys = boys.
2. Then add the possessive ending. Does the word end in s because it is plural? Add only ‘. Otherwise, add ‘s.

So: the boy’s bike (one boy), the boys’ bikes (several boys). The apostrophe is never placed inside the base word: childrens’ and womens’ are always wrong, because the plurals are children and women.

Singular possessive examples

1. My mother’s cooking is the best.
2. The baby’s room is painted yellow.
3. Have you seen Jack’s new haircut?
4. The company’s profits rose this year.
5. The teacher’s desk was covered in papers.
6. The car’s engine needs repairing.
7. I borrowed my friend’s charger.
8. The city’s oldest bridge is closed.
9. Our neighbour’s dog barks all night.
10. The doctor’s advice was simple: rest.
11. The book’s cover is torn.
12. Emma’s birthday is in May.
13. The country’s population is growing.
14. The restaurant’s menu changes every week.
15. The boss’s office is on the top floor.

Plural possessive examples

Plurals ending in s: apostrophe only

16. The players’ shirts were soaked.
17. My parents’ house is near the sea.
18. The girls’ changing room is on the left.
19. All the students’ exams were marked by Friday.
20. The workers’ union called a strike.
21. The birds’ nests were high in the tree.
22. Our neighbours’ children play in the street.
23. The Smiths’ garden is beautiful. (the Smith family)
24. The nurses’ shifts are twelve hours long.
25. The cars’ headlights lit up the road.

Irregular plurals: add ‘s

26. The children’s playground has new swings.
27. The women’s final is on Sunday.
28. The men’s toilets are downstairs.
29. The people’s choice award went to her.
30. The mice’s tracks were all over the kitchen.
31. The geese’s honking woke us up.
32. The sheep’s wool is sold at the market.

Names and words ending in s

This is the one rule where style guides disagree. Both forms below are seen in good writing; choose one and use it consistently.

• Add ‘s (recommended by most modern guides, and matches how most people say it): James’s book, Chris’s party, the bus’s timetable, my boss’s car.
• Add only ‘ (common in older and some American styles): James’ book, Chris’ party.

A useful guide is pronunciation: if you say an extra “iz” sound (James-iz), write ‘s. Classical and biblical names often take only the apostrophe by tradition: Jesus’ teachings, Socrates’ ideas. Common nouns ending in s nearly always take ‘s: the class’s project, the actress’s award.

33. Thomas’s sister is a pilot.
34. We’re going to Carlos’s for dinner.
35. The class’s average went up.
36. The Joneses’ new car is red. (the Jones family; plural Joneses)

Two owners: joint and separate

• Joint ownership (they share one thing): put ‘s only on the last name. Mark and Lisa’s flat (one flat they share). My aunt and uncle’s farm.
• Separate ownership (each has their own): put ‘s on every name. Mark’s and Lisa’s phones (two phones). The UK’s and France’s economies.

With pronouns, use the possessive form for each: my and Lisa’s flat sounds awkward, so most writers say Lisa’s and my flat or the flat Lisa and I share.

37. Sam and Leo’s band played last night. (one band)
38. Sam’s and Leo’s bikes were stolen. (two bikes)
39. We stayed at Maria and José’s house.
40. Both Jack’s and Amy’s essays were excellent.

Compound nouns and groups of words

Add ‘s to the end of the whole phrase, not to the main noun:

41. My mother-in-law’s recipe is a family secret.
42. The attorney general’s report was published today.
43. The Prime Minister’s speech lasted an hour.
44. My brothers-in-law’s jobs are all in sales. (plural compound)
45. The King of Spain’s visit was postponed.
46. Someone else’s bag was on my seat.

Time, money and things: other uses of ‘s

The possessive is not only about ownership. It also shows amount, time, origin and close relationship:

47. I need a good night’s sleep. (time)
48. She gave two weeks’ notice. (time, plural)
49. The station is only ten minutes’ walk from here. (also common: a ten-minute walk)
50. He bought a dollar’s worth of sweets. (money)
51. Today’s news is depressing.
52. We met at last year’s conference.
53. The novel’s main character is a detective. (part of something)
54. Shakespeare’s plays are still performed. (creator)
55. My son’s teacher called me. (relationship)
56. I’m going to the dentist’s. (= the dentist’s surgery)

For lifeless things, English often prefers of or a noun used as an adjective: the leg of the table or the table leg, rather than the table’s leg. With people, animals, places, organisations and time, ‘s is normal.

Possessive or not? Common confusions

Possessive pronouns like his, hers and its already show possession, so they never take an apostrophe. See possessive pronouns for the full list.

The double possessive

English also allows of + a possessive: a friend of Sarah’s, a cousin of mine. It means “one of Sarah’s friends”. Both a friend of Sarah and a friend of Sarah’s are heard; the double form is normal and correct, especially in speech. With pronouns it is the only option: a friend of mine, not a friend of me.

Abbreviations, pronouns like everyone, and shop names

• Abbreviations take ‘s like any noun: the BBC’s coverage, NASA’s mission, the UN’s report. Plural abbreviations take only the apostrophe: the MPs’ votes.
• Indefinite pronouns (everyone, someone, nobody, anyone, one) take ‘s: everyone’s favourite, nobody’s fault, one’s duty.
• Shops and homes are often named with a possessive and no following noun: I’m at my grandma’s (her house), She works at the hairdresser’s, We bought it at Sainsbury’s.
• Company and place names do not always follow the rules: Starbucks, Harrods and Pikes Peak are written without apostrophes, while McDonald’s and Martha’s Vineyard have them. Copy the official spelling.

Possessive or noun used as an adjective?

Sometimes a noun simply describes another noun without showing ownership, and then no apostrophe is used. Compare:

• the teachers’ room (the room that belongs to the teachers) vs teacher training (a type of training)
• a children’s book (a book for children: possessive form is standard) vs a story book
• the city’s parks (the parks of this city) vs city parks (parks in cities in general)
• a girls’ school (a school for girls) vs a girl band

A simple test: if you can rewrite the phrase with “of” or “belonging to” or “for”, the possessive is usually right. If the first noun just says what type of thing it is, leave it without an apostrophe. Some names, like Farmers Market or Visitors Centre, are written both ways; follow the sign or the organisation’s own style.

Common mistakes

Practice

A. Write the possessive.

1. the toys of the baby
2. the toys of the babies
3. the books of the men
4. the car of my boss
5. the house that Pedro and Lucía share
6. the opinion of the public

B. Correct the mistake.

7. The cat licked it’s paws.
8. My sister’s (three sisters) rooms are upstairs.
9. We visited the Wilson’s new house. (the Wilson family)

Quick answers

What is a possessive noun? A noun that shows ownership or a close relationship, formed with ‘s or an apostrophe: Anna’s bag, the students’ work.

Where does the apostrophe go in plural possessives? After the s if the plural ends in s (the dogs’ owners); before an added s if it does not (the people’s vote).

Is it James’ or James’s? Both are accepted. Most modern style guides prefer James’s.

Do possessive nouns exist in Spanish? No. Spanish uses de: el libro de Ana (Ana’s book). See Spanish possessive adjectives.

More on nouns: types of nouns and proper noun examples.