If you've used an apostrophe, test your apostrophe by expanding your word back into two words. If you can't, the apostrophe version is wrong. (Point 3) There's no gender-neutral singular possessive determiner that can be used for people....
So, when you’re writing a plural possessive noun, ask yourself if the plural form already ends in an/s/. If so, just add the apostrophe at the end of the plural form. If not, treat it like a singular possessive noun and add an apostrophe plus/s/. It’s easy to slip up and pu...
Possessive its never has an apostrophe.That’s its Its ability to swim came as a surprise. I returned the bird to itsYou have probably also noticed that whose is another unique sort of possessive pronoun. Whose belongs to a special group of words called interrogative pronouns – commonly ...
The possessive case shows the relationship of a noun to other words in a sentence. Possessive case shows ownership, possession, occupancy, a personal relationship, or another association. With the addition of –’s (or sometimes just the apostrophe), a noun can change from a simple person, pl...
Using Apostrophes to Form Possessive Nouns Why the Possessive Case Is Important Examples of the Possessive Case I don't have a bank account, because I don't knowmymother'smaiden name. (Comedian Paula Poundstone) (These two are clearly about possession. They mean: "the motherofme" and "the...
Possessive nouns are followed by the object of the possessive. In this possessive example, the desk is the thing that Kali owns because it comes directly after the possessive noun: Kali’s desk In other words, Kali owns the desk. The object of the possessive is the first noun after the...
Possessive nouns are formed from the basic versions of nouns by adding anapostropheand the letter “s”: for instance, “boy” becomes “boy’s.” The possessives ofplural nounsnormally only add an apostrophe, not an additional “s”: “boys” becomes “boys’.” ...
Possessive nouns are nouns that show ownership or possession. Normally these words would be a singular or plural noun, but in the possessive form they are used as adjectives to modify another a noun or pronoun. Here the word “cat’s” is a possessive noun. It is letting you know that ...
In writing, many people get possessive pronouns and contractions confused because they might sound similar. Learn how to properly use apostrophes to form contractions with some examples, explore the definition of possessive pronouns and why they don't require apostrophes, and learn how to avoid furth...
The single wordsmyandmine, which we’ve used here to replace phrases in the original sentence, arepossessive pronouns. Let’s have a look at them in more detail. What Is a Possessive Pronoun? While apronounreplaces a singlenounin a sentence (e.g.,itinstead ofthe pen), a possessive pro...