CompFAQ/Possessives

📝 English Composition Writing FAQ

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Possessives and Plurals

Plurals indicate that there is more than one of a noun, and they are used in a variety of contexts. For example, they can be used to indicate a group of people or things, a period of time, or a quantity of something.

In contrast, possessives indicate that a noun possesses or owns something, and they can be used to indicate a relationship of belonging or ownership between two things.

Plurals refer to more than one of a noun, and they are formed by adding “-s” or “-es” to the end of the singular noun. For example:

One book, two books

One dog, two dogs

One city, two cities

Possessives, on the other hand, indicate ownership or belonging, and they can be formed in different ways depending on the noun:

For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an “s” (’s) to the end of the noun:

The dog’s toy

The book’s cover

The city’s skyline

For plural nouns that end in “s,” add only an apostrophe (’), but no extra “s”:

The dogs’ toys

The books’ covers

The cities’ skylines

For plural nouns that don’t end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s” (’s):

The children’s toys

The mice’s nests

The men’s hats

Always use the correct form of possessive or plural depending on the context to ensure that the meaning is clear. Possessives indicate ownership or belonging, while plurals indicate multiple quantities of a noun. Permalink: https://grlu.us/possessives

Written: 2002, 2022; Revised: 02-8-2024; Version: Beta 0.7

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