English — Grammar: Possessive ‘s (Sami’s book, the students’ bags) — 1st Year Middle School — Algerian Curriculum

Possessive ‘s

Introduction

We use the possessive ‘s to show that something belongs to someone or something.

Rules

1. Singular nouns: Add ‘s
– Ahmed’s car is new.
– The cat’s tail is long.

2. Plural nouns NOT ending in s: Add ‘s
– The children’s toys are everywhere.

3. Plural nouns ending in s: Add only an apostrophe.
– The students’ bags are heavy.

4. Names ending in s: Add ‘s or just an apostrophe
– James’s book / James’ book.

Examples

1. This is my sister’s phone.
2. Fatima’s house is near the mosque.
3. The boys’ team won the match.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Rewrite using the possessive ‘s:
1. The bag of Amina → ___
2. The car of my father → ___
3. The books of the students → ___

Exercise 2: Correct the mistakes:
1. My mothers car is red.
2. The childrens toys are in the garden.

See also Personal Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives.