Possessive Nouns | How to Make Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns show that something belongs to someone or something. They help us talk about ownership in a clear and simple way. In this blog post, you will learn how to make possessive nouns using apostrophes, when to use them, and how they work in sentences. This will help you write and speak more correctly in English.

What You’ll Learn

What is a Possessive Noun?

A possessive noun is a noun that shows who owns something or what belongs to whom.

It answers the question: Whose is it?

Example:

This is Ali’s book.
(Whose book? — Ali’s book)

How to Make Possessive Nouns

Here’s how to form possessive nouns:

Singular Noun + ’s

Add ’s to show ownership.

Singular Noun	Possessive Form	Example Sentence
boy	boy’s	This is the boy’s hat.
cat	cat’s	The cat’s tail is long.
teacher	teacher’s	I saw the teacher’s car.

Plural Nouns (That End in -s) + ’

Just add an apostrophe (’) after the s.

Plural Noun	Possessive Form	Example Sentence
dogs	dogs’	The dogs’ food is ready.
students	students’	The students’ bags are heavy.
parents	parents’	My parents’ room is upstairs.

Read More: Regular and Irregular Plural

Irregular Plural Nouns (No -s) + ’s

Add ’s as you do for singular nouns.

Irregular Plural	Possessive Form	Example Sentence
children	children’s	The children’s toys are broken.
men	men’s	The men’s shoes are big.
women	women’s	The women’s room is locked.

Possessive Nouns | How to Make Possessive Nouns — Possessive Nouns

Why Use Possessive Nouns?

We use possessive nouns to:

Talk about ownership
Sara’s phone, my friend’s bag
Talk about relationships
Ali’s brother, teacher’s students
Talk about parts of something
car’s engine, dog’s tail

Sentences with Possessive Nouns

This is Sarah’s pen.
That is Ali’s bicycle.
The teacher’s voice is loud.
I like the dog’s collar.
We cleaned the room’s floor.
This is my friend’s notebook.
The boy’s shoes are new.
I took the girl’s book.
The bird’s nest is on the tree.
Look at the baby’s toy.
The children’s bags are colorful.
My father’s car is white.
The school’s bell rang.
This is John’s room.
The cat’s eyes are green.
That is the bus’s tire.
The player’s jersey is blue.
The mother’s love is pure.
My brother’s bike is fast.
The man’s wallet is on the table.
The women’s meeting is tomorrow.
My uncle’s farm is big.
The students’ results are out.
The dog’s bone is under the table.
I like the artist’s paintings.
The engineer’s tools are heavy.
The child’s shoes are cute.
The car’s mirror is broken.
My aunt’s bag is blue.
The doctor’s advice was helpful.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Correction
The girls bag is pink.	The girl’s bag is pink.
The boys toys are missing.	The boys’ toys are missing.
The childrens game is fun.	The children’s game is fun.

Mini Quiz: Test Your Understanding

Choose the correct possessive form:

That is (Ali / Ali’s) car.
The (dogs / dogs’) tails are wagging.
I saw the (child / child’s) drawing.
The (women / women’s) clothes are nice.
This is my (friend / friend’s) pencil.

Answers:

Ali’s
dogs’
child’s
women’s
friend’s

FAQs: Possessive Nouns

1. What is a possessive noun?

A possessive noun shows who owns something. It usually has an apostrophe (‘).

2. How do I form a possessive noun?

Add ’s to singular nouns.
Add only ’ to plural nouns ending in s.
Add ’s to irregular plurals.

3. Can I use “of” instead of possessive nouns?

Yes! Sometimes you can say:

The leg of the chair = The chair’s leg

Practice writing sentences with possessive nouns every day. It will help you speak more clearly and correctly in English. Start with people you know or things you see around you.

Read More

Possessive Nouns | How to Make Possessive Nouns

What is a Possessive Noun?