The Possessive Apostrophe

It’s time to talk about being possessive. Sometimes possessiveness is good, sometimes it’s bad. However you look at it, if you’re speaking English, then you will need an apostrophe to show who owns what.

The apostrophe (’) is one of the most used and misused English punctuation marks. No one is ever quite sure where to put it. You can use it when things are left out (contractions), but it’s the possessiveness that causes the most trouble.

The apostrophe is all about making a statement of ownership. You belong to me. This belongs to that. In grammar speak, the apostrophe shows the possessive of nouns.

There are four ways to use the apostrophe to show ownership or belonging.

1. Add apostrophe s to the end of a singular noun that does not end in s:

the manager’s room

2. Add apostrophe s to the end of a singular noun, even if it ends in s (this practice may vary in some places):

Doris’s scarf

3. Add apostrophe s to the end of a plural noun that doesn’t end in s

the children’s bag

4. If the plural noun ends in s, just add the apostrophe

my friends’ car

Notice that possessive pronouns like yours, his, hers, ours, its and theirs are not followed by the apostrophe.

Finally, if you want to play around with it, Wikipedia has a list of four phrases illustrating how the apostrophe can literally change the meaning of sentences.

my sister’s friend’s investments (I have one sister and she has one friend.)
my sisters’ friends’ investments (I have many sisters and they have many friends.)
my sisters’ friend’s investments (I have many sisters and they have one friend.)
my sister’s friends’ investments (I have one sister and she has many friends.)

Daniel Scocco on June 22, 2007 Subscribe to our RSS Feed

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14 Responses to “The Possessive Apostrophe”

Thereza Sales on June 22nd, 2007 6:47 pm

Interesting!
Crys on June 22nd, 2007 7:01 pm

A common mistake on the MUD I run. Which is pretty bad considering it’s a text-based RPG This one inparticular is a stickler! Thanks for clearing it up.
Brett on June 22nd, 2007 7:45 pm

this practice may vary in some places

How does it vary?

And what about this:
We’re going out with the Walkers.
We’re going to visit the Walker’s residence.

When does a couple’s (family’s) name get an apostrophe? Use one for ownership (their house), don’t use one when referring to them as a couple?

Thanks, found you from a comment on thesimpledollar.com
Daniel on June 22nd, 2007 11:46 pm

“How does it vary?”

Some people do not use the s when singular nouns end with s (they follow pronunciation).

i.e., Doris’ hat.

There is no standard rule as far as I know here.

Regarding family names, the process is like you said. Use the apostrophe if you want to state ownership or belonging.

Your second phrase, however, would read like this:

We’re going to visit the Walkers’ residence.
Thorn on June 23rd, 2007 3:17 pm

Good post. I’m wondering, though, do you have any idea if British English is different at all?
Daniel on June 23rd, 2007 11:06 pm

The only part where both versions could diverge is the one regarding the singular nouns ending with an s.
Shaun on July 6th, 2007 8:31 pm

Good post. My question is about a list of things that posses one thing.

Shaun and Geji’s house was nice.
Shaun’s and Geji’s house was nice.

They both own the house. I think the second one is right. however the first one sounds better to my ear. Which one is correct?
Linda on November 12th, 2007 3:57 pm

Have the rules changed so drastically that this is now acceptable?

“You don’t drive like her, why should you pay the same insurance as her?” (T.V. commercial for insurance)
Joanna on January 9th, 2008 11:13 pm

I have seen the apostrophe misused so much when it comes to “its vs it’s”. The possessive is acutally “its” and the contraction “it is” is shortened to “it’s”.

Another grossly abused contraction is “there’s”. I keep seeing it used with plural nouns/objects as in:

“There’s dogs running everywhere.” It should be “There are dogs running everywhere.”

I do agree that most people don’t even realize what they are saying when they use “there’s” or “that’s” incorrectly with plurals.
Tyree on January 28th, 2008 1:35 am

What about names that end in S? For example, are the possessive forms of Jesus and Moses Jesus’ and Moses’ or Jesus’s and Moses’s? I read somewhere it has to do with style, but Oxford’s website says that of the ending sounds like -es then it only requires an apostrophe at the end.

What is the proper use?
Jeff on January 31st, 2008 8:43 pm

All of your questions can be professionally answered by going to The Apostrophe Protection Society site. It’s free and you would be made very welcome. Jeff.