Possessive NounsPossessive nouns show ownership. When you are trying to create a possessive noun, you first need to decide if it is singular or plural.

A Singular Noun is ONE person, place, thing, or idea. Singular nouns usually have the singular article(s) a, an, one, in front of them.Examples: girl DVD

mouse Arizonaflower dream

A Plural Noun is MORE THAN ONE person, place, thing, or idea.Examples: girls

miceDVDs

There are four main rules to consider when attempting to establish possession in writing:

RULE #1: ANY SINGULAR NOUNWith a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s:

The book of the girl = The girl’s bookThe class of the student = The student’s classThe food dish of the cat = The cat’s food dish

RULE #2: PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN ‘S’With plural nouns ending in ‘s’, add an apostrophe after the s:

The book that belongs to three girls = The girls’ bookThe class that belongs to twenty students = The students’ classThe food dish that two cats share = The cats’ food dish

RULE #3: PLURAL NOUNS NOT ENDING IN ‘S’When a plural noun is irregular, it may not end in an ‘s’. In such cases, you simply add an apostrophe + s at the end of the word.

The game of the children = The children’s gameThe club of the women = The women’s clubThe golf game of four men = The men’s game

RULE #4: ANY NOUN THAT ALREADY ENDS IN AN ‘S’When a plural or singular noun already ends in an s, you may simply add and apostrophe.

The tip of the waitress = The waitress’ tip . . . Not the waitress’s tipThe competition of the classes = The classes’ competition

POSSESSIVE NOUNS IName:

Change the information into the possessive form.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

Rule #1 REVIEW1. The teacher of one student =

2. The eyes of one cat =

3. The memo of one person =

4. The laughter of one baby =

5. The rights of one state =

6. The feathers of one duck =

7. The treat of one dog =

8. The diploma of one senior =

9. The message of one worker =

10. The C.D. of one singer =

RULE #2 REVIEW1. The car shared by two sisters =

2. The graduation ceremony of 200 seniors =

3. The lounge shared by all S.V.H.S. teachers =

4. The water dish shared by three dogs =

5. The driveway shared by two homes =

6. The party thrown by four co-workers =

7. The lair shared by two dragons =

8. The desk shared by three students =

9. The stereo shared by two brothers =

10. The candy shared by five kids =

RULE #3 REVIEW1. The toys shared by the children =

2. The cheese shared by two mice =

3. The convention of many firemen =

4. The meowing of several kittens =

5. The meadow of dozens of deer =

6. The wool of hundreds of sheep =

7. The pasture of two oxen =

8. The locker room of all women =

9. The nerves of many teeth =

10. The restroom for men =

RULE #4 REVIEW1. The convention of four cities =

2. The winner of one series =

3. The sections of many waitresses =

4. The section of one waitress =

5. The route of one bus =

6. The shed of five busses =

7. The rotation of the axis =

8. The pot of many lobsters =

9. The sale of several clerks =

10. The shelves of many books =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP I!Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The test of one student =

2. The memo of one boss =

3. The bicycle of one boy =

4. The report of many teachers =

5. The duet sung by two singers =

6. The armrest shared by two chairs =

7. The jobs of hundreds of workers =

8. The gills of one fish =

9. The team of eleven players =

10. The lid of one eye =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The tank shared by more than one fish =

2. The C.D. produced by more than one singer =

3. The milk shared by more than one baby cat =

4. The ball shared by more than one baby dog =

5. The forest roamed by more than one moose =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS IIName:

Change the information into the possessive form.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW1. The mother of one student =

2. The legs of one horse =

3. The desk of one manager =

4. The tears of one child =

5. The downtown of one city =

6. The eggs of one quail =

7. The needles of one saguaro =

8. The folder of one junior =

9. The locker of one freshman =

10. The movie of one actor =

RULE #2 REVIEW1. The report shared by two students =

2. The bone shared by four dogs =

3. The stadium owned by all the citizens =

4. The aquarium shared by three snakes =

5. The desk shared by two receptionists =

6. The sweater shared by two friends =

7. The sandwich split by two kindergarteners =

8. The cage shared by two monkeys =

9. The camera owned by three photographers =

10. The café owned by four sisters =

RULE #3: REVIEW1. The shelter shared by the cavemen =

2. The toy room shared by the children =

3. The pond inhabited by lots of fish =

4. The health care policy of many women =

5. The scholarship fund managed by the policemen =

6. The dance thrown by many firemen =

7. The habitat grazed by many moose =

8. The harbor populated by many shrimp =

9. The project completed my five workmen =

10. The reunion held by many alumnae =

RULE #4: REVIEW1. The door of the bus =

2. The schedules of the busses =

3. The house of Mr. Angeles =

4. The den of the foxes =

5. The meaning of the flags =

6. The service of the waitress =

7. The meeting of your bosses =

8. The interview with your boss =

9. The project of the students =

10. The strike of the pilots =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP II!

Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The bed of many flowers =

2. The movie produced by two movie studios =

3. The grade earned by one student =

4. The driveway belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Jones =

5. The desk belonging to the boss =

6. The award belonging to two classes =

7. The boat belonging to many fishermen =

8. The journal belonging to one girl =

9. The feathers belonging to one goose =

10. The meeting held by several bosses =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. A toy shared by more than one child =

2. An interview scheduled by more than one boss =

3. A basket owned by one of a litter of kittens =

4. A party held by one of the teachers =

5. An account opened by Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS IIIName:

Change the information into the possessive form.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW1. The ball belonging to one tennis player =

2. The flag belonging to one soldier =

3. The shoes belonging to one dancer =

4. The wig worn by one clown =

5. The hole dug by one puppy =

6. The nest built by one bird =

7. The letter sent by one parent =

8. The book written by one author =

9. The sound made by one whale =

10. The cuisine made by one chef =

RULE #2 REVIEW1. The union of many butchers =

2. The rules of many societies =

3. The agreement between two factories =

4. The nest made by two owls =

5. The business run by three brothers =

6. The class taught by many mechanics =

7. The computer shared by two receptionists =

8. The trials held about six witches =

9. The hats purchased by many buyers =

10. The rooms decorated by two designers =

RULE #3 REVIEW1. The card signed by three grandchildren =

2. The restroom designated for all men =

3. The pen belonging to many geese =

4. The filing cabinet belonging to the data =

5. The source of the stimuli =

6. The cage of the hippopotami =

7. The disease carried by the lice =

8. The reunion held for the alumnae =

9. The flowers of the cacti =

10. The playground shared by the children =

RULE #4 REVIEW1. The diagnosis of several doctors =

2. The schedule of all of the tellers at the bank =

3. The apron of the waitress =

4. The door of the bus =

5. The song of many crickets =

6. The lake belonging to many bass =

7. The petals of one hibiscus =

8. The reading of one litmus =

9. The requirements of one syllabus =

10. The properties of phosphorus =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP III!Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The phone of one hotel =

2. The field populated by many deer =

3. The game played by many children =

4. The meeting of many teachers =

5. The needle of a compass =

6. The rooms of the campus =

7. The food belonging to one fish =

8. The food belonging to many fish =

9. The donuts made by several bakers =

10. The chocolate made by Hershey =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The packages delivered by more than one mailman =

2. The assignment turned in by more than one student =

3. The pool shared by every neighbor =

4. The restaurant worked by more than one waitress =

5. The needles of more than one cactus =

POSSESSIVE NOUNS IVName:

Change the information into the possessive form.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

RULE #1 REVIEW1. The candy belonging to the baby =

2. The car of the student =

3. The boat of the officer =

4. The dog of the veterinarian =

5. The words of the poet =

6. The wings of the angel =

7. The exhibits of the museum =

8. The stores of the mall =

9. The actors of a movie =

10. The walls of a castle =

RULE #2 REVIEW1. The nursery of many babies =

2. The school belonging to 25 teachers =

3. The pen holding many horses =

4. The wings of many dragons =

5. The shop belonging to two bakers =

6. The litter pan belonging to three cats =

7. The practice belonging to five lawyers =

8. The fence shared by two neighbors =

9. The building shared by three businesses =

10. The den shared by six foxes =

RULE #3 REVIEW1. The club joined by women only =

2. The locker room designated for men =

3. The diseases of many lice =

4. The class of thirty children =

5. The needles of many cacti =

6. The luck of two dice =

7. The findings of the data =

8. The nest of five mice =

9. The aquarium of many fish =

10. The exhibit of five rhinoceri =

RULE #4 REVIEW1. The lining of the esophagus =

2. The fields of Kansas =

3. The pages of a thesaurus =

4. The pages of many thesauruses =

5. The buttons of a dress =

6. The decay of the carcass =

7. The job of the waitress =

8. The stops of the bus =

9. The stations of the cross =

10. The frame of the canvas =

POSSESSIVES ALL MIXED UP IV!Name:

Change the information into the appropriate possessive form.Be certain to follow the FOUR RULES as discussed by your teacher.Example: The cheese of the mouse = The mouse’s cheese

1. The paperwork of the business =

2. The meaning of Christmas =

3. The curve of the meniscus =

4. The coat of the zebra =

5. The price of the mattress =

6. The decision of two teachers =

7. The photo of the artist =

8. The certification of the pilot =

9. The pages of the atlas =

10. The journey of many hikers =

A Little Trickier . . .

1. The infection created by more than one bacterium =

2. The reserve of more than one cactus =

3. The disease spread by more than one louse =

4. The conglomeration of more than one business =

5. The lemonade stand run by more than one child =