Possessive nouns indicate ownership or possession. They show that something belongs to someone or something else. Here’s an explanation of possessive nouns along with five examples for each type:
- Singular Possessive Nouns:
- Singular possessive nouns show that one person, place, thing, or idea owns or possesses something.
- Formation: Add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s) to the singular noun.
- Examples:
- Sarah’s cat
- the book’s cover
- the company’s logo
- the child’s toy
- the dog’s collar
- Plural Possessive Nouns:
- Plural possessive nouns show that more than one person, place, thing, or idea owns or possesses something.
- Formation: Add an apostrophe after the plural noun if it ends in “s”; otherwise, add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s) to the plural noun.
- Examples:
- the teachers’ lounge
- the dogs’ leashes
- the students’ desks
- the countries’ flags
- the families’ traditions
- Singular Possessive Nouns with Irregular Plurals:
- Some singular possessive nouns are used with irregular plural nouns.
- Formation: Add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s) to the singular noun.
- Examples:
- the child’s feet
- the woman’s teeth
- the man’s mice
- the goose’s nest
- the person’s belongings
- Compound Possessive Nouns:
- Compound possessive nouns consist of two or more words joined together to show joint possession.
- Formation: Add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s) to the last word in the compound noun.
- Examples:
- my sister-in-law’s car
- the president-elect’s speech
- the CEO’s assistant
- the brother and sister’s house
- the cat and dog’s bed
- Possessive Nouns with Indefinite Pronouns:
- Indefinite pronouns can also be used in possessive forms to indicate ownership.
- Formation: Add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s) to the indefinite pronoun.
- Examples:
- someone’s keys
- anybody’s guess
- everyone’s opinion
- nobody’s business
- each other’s support
Understanding possessive nouns is crucial for indicating relationships and ownership in writing. They help clarify who or what possesses something in a sentence.
Related Articles: Advance English Grammar: In Simple Way