What are Apostrophes for Possessives? Grade 7 ELA Explanation

📚 What Are Apostrophes for Possessives?

Apostrophes are like little helpers that show ownership or possession. They tell us that something belongs to someone or something else. Let's break it down!

🔑 Singular Possessives

• 🐱 If a singular noun owns something, add an apostrophe and an 's' ('s). For example, "the cat's toy" means the toy belongs to the cat.
• 👧 For names also, add 's. Example: "Mary's book" means the book that belongs to Mary.
• ✍️ Even if a singular noun already ends in 's', you generally still add 's. For instance, "Chris's car" shows the car belongs to Chris. However, style guides differ, and sometimes just an apostrophe is used (Chris'). Be consistent!

👥 Plural Possessives

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 If a plural noun ends in 's', just add an apostrophe ('). For example, "the students' desks" means the desks belong to the students.
• 🐺 If a plural noun does NOT end in 's', add an apostrophe and an 's' ('s). For example, "the children's toys" means the toys belong to the children (because "children" is the plural of "child").

📝 Practice Quiz

Choose the correct possessive form in each sentence:

1. The (dog's, dogs') bone was buried in the yard.
2. The (girls', girl's) team won the championship.
3. (James', James's) house is on the corner.
4. The (mice's, mices') cheese disappeared quickly.
5. The (teachers', teacher's) lounge is off-limits to students.
6. My (parents', parent's) car is very old.
7. The (deer's, deers') antlers were impressive.

Answers: 1. dog's, 2. girls', 3. James's, 4. mice's, 5. teachers', 6. parents', 7. deer's