P7-a Use an apostrophe to show the possessive form of a noun.
The form of a possessive noun depends on whether it is singular (one item) or plural (two or more items).
Add -’s to a singular noun to show possession.
| a student’s parents | the rabbit’s eye | Ward’s essay |
Be sure to include the apostrophe and to place it before the -s so that the reader does not mistakenly think that the noun is plural.
Indicate shared or joint possession by adding -’s to the final noun in a list; indicate individual possession by adding -’s to each noun.
- father and mother’s room (joint or shared possession)
- father’s and mother’s patterns of conversation (individual possession)
Indicate possession by adding -’s to the last word in a compound.
- mother-in-law’s
Even if a singular noun ends in s, add an apostrophe and -s.
- Louis’s life
- Williams’s narrator
- Cisneros’s story
If the second s makes the word hard to pronounce, it is acceptable to add only an apostrophe.
- Sophocles’ plays
To make plural nouns possessive, add -’s if the noun does not already end in s, and add only an apostrophe if it does.
Note: Form the plural of a family name by adding -s without an apostrophe (the Harrisons); add the apostrophe only to show possession (the Harrisons’ house).