When you want to show that someone or something owns another thing, you use the possessive case. 

Nouns and pronouns can be written in the possessive case. For nouns, this usually involves adding ’s to the end of the noun, but there are also have other rules, which will be detailed in the article below. 

For pronouns, the possessive cases are: my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, our, ours, its, their, and theirs. 

Forming the Possessive Case of Nouns

The following rules will help you form the possessive case of nouns. 

1. For nouns that don’t end with an s, simply add ’s to the end of the word. 

Examples:

• Bob’s car is waiting outside. 
• Did you find a boy’s baseball mitt somewhere around here? 
• Did you hear the coach’s whistle? 

2. If a singular noun ends with an s, you have two options: add just an apostrophe (‘), or ’s. 

This usually happens in the case of proper nouns like names of people, such as James, Jones, or Jesus. Note that both forms are correct.

Examples: 

• I lost Chris’s book OR I lost Chris’ book.  
• P.D. James’ new book is out. 
• Jesus’ followers were scattered. 

3. For a plural noun that ends in s, add only an apostrophe. 

Examples: 

• The Joneses’ new house looks really classy. 
• The boys’ room stinks; they need to give it a thorough cleaning. 
• The Smiths’ garage is overflowing; will you be able to finish cleaning it in one day? 

4. To show possession by two or more people, add ’s only for the last noun. 

Examples: 

• Joanne and Mike’s son topped his sixth grade class. 
• Annabelle and Lianne’s bedroom is all neat and tidy now. 
• The boys and girls’ playground has been empty for months. 

5. To show two or more people owning different things separately, add ’s to each noun. 

Examples: 

• Joane’s and Mike’s sons are best friends in school. 
• Annabelle’s and Lianne’s bedrooms are next to each other. 
• The boys’ and girls’ shower rooms are currently under repair. 

Forming the Possessive Case of Pronouns 

A pronoun is a part of speech that replaces a noun in a sentence. It also has a possessive form, which is formed according to the rules below: 

6. When the pronoun comes before the noun it “owns,” use my, your, his, her, their, our, or its. 

For example: 

• This is my book. 
• This is your pen. 
• He crashed his car into the lamppost. 

7. For the standalone possessive case of pronouns, use mine, yours, his, hers, theirs, ours, or its. 

For example: 

• This is mine. 
• This book is theirs. 
• That seat is hers. 

Remember: Never put an apostrophe in the following possessive pronouns: yours, hers, theirs, ours, and its. 

Correct: The dog wagged its tail. 
Incorrect: The dog wagged it’s tail. 

Correct: The sparrows flew into their nests and the starlings also flew to theirs. 
Incorrect: The sparrows flew into their nests and the starlings also flew to their’s. 

8. For pronouns like anybody, someone, and everyone, add ’s. 

Examples:

• Everyone’s fear is keeping the whole town paralyzed. 
• Anybody’s depression is something to take seriously. 
• Somebody’s bag was left unattended on the bleachers. 

Can You Use Possessive with Inanimate Objects? 

Technically, an inanimate object cannot possess or own anything, so it’s safer to use the “of” phrase instead. For example: 

• The sound of the car caught our attention. VS 
• The car’s sound caught our attention. 

But, writers have also resorted to using the possessive form for inanimate objects, usually for parts that are clearly connected to the item: 

• The car’s front tires are flat. 
• The table’s legs are wobbly. 
• My teddy bear’s eyes are loose. 

Possessive Case Quiz

Test your understanding of the possessive case of nouns and pronouns with this free possessive case quiz PDF. Circle the correct answer in each sentence. 

1. Is this [your / yours] stuff? 
2. [Benny’s and Jane’s / Benny and Jane’s] first date went off without a hitch. 
3. [Jess’s / Jess’es] term paper impressed the teacher so much, she gave him an A+. 
4. The [Smith’s / Smiths’] front lawn is the best-maintained in the neighborhood. 
5. The [children’s / childrens’] choir will have its first practice tonight at 7PM. 
6. One of [Facebook Groups’ / Facebook Group’s] strengths is their convenience. 
7. The teachers had [theirs / their] workshop done through Zoom. 
8. The [boys’ / boy’s] basketball team won today’s game. 
9. The [singers’ / singer’s] specialty is her song and dance routine. 
10. I like a [dog’s / dogs’] affectionate nature more than a cat’s. 
11. The school cleaned out [it’s / its] premises to get ready for the start of the school year. 
12. Are the [voters’ / voter’s] concerns for their own benefit?
13. One main reason for [coffee shops’ / coffee shop’s] closure is the restrictions during the pandemic. 
14. Billy loves sitting under a [tree’s / trees’] shade to read. 
15. [David’s / Davids’] books are all scattered on his bed. 

Answer Key

1. Is this your stuff? 
2. Benny and Jane’s first date went off without a hitch. 
3. Jess’s term paper impressed the teacher so much, she gave him an A+. 
4. The Smiths’ front lawn is the best-maintained in the neighborhood. 
5. The children’s choir will have its first practice tonight at 7PM. 
6. One of Facebook Groups’ strengths is the convenience they give you. 
7. The teachers had their workshop done through Zoom. 
8. The boys’ basketball team won today’s game. 
9. The singer’s specialty is her song and dance routine. 
10. I like a dog’s affectionate nature more than a cat’s. 
11. The school cleaned out its premises to get ready for the start of the school year. 
12. Are the voters’ concerns for their own benefit?
13. One main reason for coffee shops’ closure is the restrictions during the pandemic. 
14. Billy loves sitting under a tree’s shade to read. 
15. David’s books are all scattered on his bed. 

Using the Possessive Case

Learning to use the possessive case correctly is a sign of a skilled writer. If you have trouble with it, practice writing sentences using the rules above. 

Also, continue to learn more about the different rules of grammar to keep improving in your writing. The time you invest will be worth it as your communication becomes clearer and more intuitive! 

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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