Rule 1. Possessive nouns.

 A possessive noun is a noun which modifies another noun and usually indicates ownership or possession, e.g. the dog’s blanket. With a possessive noun, you have to decide whether and where to put an apostrophe. In the dog’s blanket, dog is the possessive noun. Here is the rule:

A. If the possessive noun is singular, add ‘s, e.g. dog’s blanket. In this example, you have one dog and one blanket. If the phrase were dog’s blankets, you would still have one dog even though you have more than one blanket. Since the possessive noun, dog, is still singular, add ‘s.

B. If the possessive noun is plural, add s’, e.g. dogs’ blanket. In this example, you have more than one dog and one blanket. If the phrase were dogs’ blankets, you would have more than one dog and more than one blanket.

Here’s a wrinkle.

C. If the possessive noun is singular and ends in an s, then you have the choice of adding ‘s or s’ depending on which one you think sounds better. For example, the noun Professor Holmes is a singular noun that ends in an s. The phrase Professor Holmes’s class is boring could also be written as Professor Holmes’ class is boring.

Practice:

  1. I worked at Bubs Barbecue for three summers.
  2. The court dismissed the defendants argument.
  3. The court dismissed the defendants arguments.
  4. Where is the womens locker room?
  5. The countrys foreign debt is huge.
  6. The countries foreign debt is huge.
  7. The drama department is staging Sophocles plays all year long.
  8. When is the basketball teams next game?
  9. The lawyers briefcase was stolen.
  10. Is the winter sports schedule available yet?

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