The possessive 's in English is a grammatical construct used to indicate ownership or association. It is primarily used to show that something belongs to someone or something else.
Basic Rules for Possessive 's:
Singular Nouns:
Add 's to the singular noun to show possession.
- John's car (the car belonging to John).
Plural Nouns not ending in -s:
Add 's to plural nouns that do not end in -s.
- The children's toys (toys belonging to the children).
Plural Nouns ending in -s:
Add only an apostrophe (') after the -s for plural nouns that already end in -s.
- The teachers' lounge (the lounge belonging to the teachers).
Special Rules for Possessive 's:
Singular Nouns ending in -s:
Singular nouns ending in -s can take either 's or just an apostrophe (').
- James's book or James' book (both are acceptable).
Irregular Plural Nouns:
Irregular plural nouns follow the same rules as regular plural nouns.
- The women's restroom (restroom belonging to the women).
Double Possessive:
The double possessive is used when two elements indicate possession.
It typically involves an object, and a possessor followed by 's.
- A friend of John's (someone who is a friend of John's).
Additional Notes:
→ The possessive 's can also be used with inanimate objects and abstract concepts.
→ Avoid using the possessive 's with inanimate objects when possession isn't clear or relevant.
→ The possessive 's can be used with pronouns as well, such as "one's" or "someone's."