Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

Possessive Nouns

• A possessive noun tells who or what owns or has something.

• Possessive nouns may be common or proper.• They may also be singular or plural.

Singular noun – Rita has a book about baseball.

Singular possessive noun – Rita’s book is about baseball.

Possessive Nouns

• Plural noun – Several cities have baseball teams.

• Plural possessive noun – These cities’ teams attract fans.

Possessive Nouns

• To form the possessive of singular nouns and plural nouns not ending in s, and an apostrophe and s (‘s).

• To form the possessive of plural nouns ending in s, add just an apostrophe at the end of the word.

Possessive Nouns

All singular nouns; plural nouns not ending in s

Add an apostrophe and s (‘s)

A girl – a girl’s name

Ms. Ames – Ms. Ames’s class

Plural nouns ending in s

Add just an apostrophe (‘) at the end of the plural noun.

Babies – babies’ birth weight

The Jones – the Joneses’ car

Writing Possessive Nouns

• Write the possessive form of the noun in parentheses.

• 1. The teacher read (Doris) composition.

• 2. I took my little brother to the (children) story hour at the library.

• 3. The (Barkleys) house stands on the corner.

• 4. Is (Dallas) climate hot enough for you?

Writing Possessive Nouns

• 1. The teacher read Doris’s composition.

• 2. I took my little brother to the children’s story hour at the library.

• 3. The Barkleys’ house stands on the corner.

• 4. Is Dallas’s climate hot enough for you?

Writing Possessive Nouns

• 5. My (parents) cars are parked in the driveway.• 6. The (judge) decision is final.• 7. You will find (men) suits on the third floor.• 8. Return this key to the (boys) locker room.• 9. I have seen many of (Florida) tourist

attractions.• 10. I got (Tiger Woods) autograph!

Writing Possessive Nouns

• 5. My parents’ cars are parked in the driveway.• 6. The judge’s decision is final.• 7. You will find men’s suits on the third floor.• 8. Return this key to the boys’ locker room.• 9. I have seen many of Florida’s tourist

attractions.• 10. I got Tiger Woods’s autograph!

Recognizing Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

• A contraction is a word made by combining two words and leaving out one or more letters. An apostrophe shows where the letters have been omitted.

Recognizing Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

Plural Noun The students wrote a play

Plural Possessive Noun The students’ play is good.

Singular Possessive Noun

I saw the student’s performance

Contraction The student’s the author.

Identifying Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

• Identify the italicized word in each sentence by writing plural noun, singular possessive noun, plural possessive noun, or contraction.

• 1. The nurses’ committee will meet on Monday.

• 2. Keely’s parents attend all her softball games.

• 3. My aunt’s left for a trip to China

Identifying Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

• 1. plural possessive noun

• 2. singular possessive noun

• 3. contraction

Identifying Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

• 4. Many students volunteer throughout the community.

• 5. No opponent has defeated the girls’ basketball team.

• 6. Have you found the dog’s leash?• 7. Harrison’s washing the family car.• 8. The principal called the boy’s parents.• 9. The astronauts’ voyage to the moon was a

success.• 10. The Pattons moved to Santa Fe last month.

Identifying Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions

• 4. plural noun

• 5. plural possessive noun

• 6. singular possessive noun

• 7. contraction

• 8. singular possessive noun

• 9. plural possessive noun

• 10. plural noun