Possessive 's
We use 's (apostrophe + s) to show that something belongs to someone or something. It's one of the most common forms in daily English — used for people, relationships, time, organizations, and more.
Examples: This is John's car. / That's my friend's office. / I'm reading the company's report.
Key rule: The 's comes after the owner, NOT the object.
❌ The phone's John ✅ John's phone
| Singular Noun | Possessive Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| John | John's | John's phone is new. |
| my friend | my friend's | My friend's house is big. |
| the teacher | the teacher's | The teacher's bag is black. |
| the cat | the cat's | The cat's tail is short. |
Tip: Always check if the noun is plural BEFORE adding 's.
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Regular plural ending in -s | Add only ' (apostrophe alone) | The students' books are on the table. |
| Irregular plural (no -s) | Add 's | The children's toys are everywhere. |
| Plural family names | Add ' | The Smiths' house is near the park. |
To ask who owns something, use Whose + noun. Answer with 's — you don't need to repeat the noun.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Whose bag is this? | It's Elif's (bag). |
| Whose keys are these? | They're my brother's. |
| Whose idea was it? | It was the manager's. |
When two people own things, the placement of 's tells you whether they share or own separately:
| Type | Rule | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared ownership | Add 's only to the last noun | Jack and Emma's house | They share ONE house |
| Separate ownership | Add 's to both nouns | Jack's and Emma's cars | TWO cars — one each |
For singular proper nouns ending in -s, both styles are acceptable — but be consistent throughout your writing:
| Name | Style 1 | Style 2 |
|---|---|---|
| James | James's car | James' car |
| Charles | Charles's house | Charles' house |
| Chris | Chris's idea | Chris' idea |
How to identify:
- If followed by a noun → usually possessive: John's car
- If followed by an adjective or -ing verb → "is": John's tired / John's working
- If followed by a past participle → "has": John's been here / John's gone
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Possessive 's | John's car | belongs to John |
| Contraction (= is) | John's tired. | John IS tired |
| Contraction (= has) | John's gone home. | John HAS gone |
Rule of thumb: Use 's for people and animals. Use of for things and ideas. But this is flexible — both can work!
| Informal (with 's) | Formal (with "of") |
|---|---|
| the company's goals | the goals of the company |
| the world's population | the population of the world |
| the book's cover | the cover of the book |
We also use 's in many time-related expressions:
- Today's news · Tomorrow's weather · Yesterday's meeting
- A day's work · A week's salary · A month's rent
- Two minutes' rest · Three hours' delay (plural time = apostrophe after -s)
- Last night's news · This morning's headlines