What are Possessive Nouns?

ElevatEd
English
November 13, 2025

“98thPercentile’s articles are always on point and give the maximum information.”

Have you ever wondered why the small apostrophe-s was used in the phrase? Or in phrases like Derek’s book or Mia’s keys? Those are examples of possessive nouns! It may not seem like much, but it's demonstrating ownership and doing a great job.

We use possessive nouns on a daily basis, frequently without even recognizing it, and they are an essential component of English grammar. They represent that it is owned by someone or some thing. These tiny grammatical heroes, whether they are "Troy's car" or "the dog's bone," provide our sentences clarity and purpose.

Master nouns!

What Are Possessive Nouns?

Possessive nouns indicate possession or a connection between objects. To put it another way, they identify the owner of something.

For instance:

Lisa’s phone says the phone belongs to Lisa.
The teacher's desk indicates that the desk is theirs.

Possessive nouns are typically identified by the presence of an apostrophe + s ('s) at the end of the word. However, occasionally it simply ends with an apostrophe ('), particularly when dealing with plural nouns. These terms let us avoid long, complicated explanations. We say "the dog’s toy" rather than "the toy that belongs to the dog." Simple, isn't it?

Where Are Possessive Nouns Used?

Stories, discussions, labels, instructions, and even signs are filled with possessive nouns.

Common conversation: "Mom's food is the best."
School: "Please return Sarah's notebook," said the teacher in class.
Office: "This is the associate's desk".

In general, possessive nouns are present anytime ownership or a relationship is discussed!

Types of Possessive Nouns (with Examples)

Type	Example	Explanation
Singular Possessive Noun	Rene’s shoes	Belongs to one person or thing.
Plural Possessive Noun	The students’ seats	Belongs to more than one (ends in’).
Irregular Plural Noun	Children’s books	Irregular plural still uses (’s).
Compound Possessive Noun	My mother-in-law’s wallet	Add “’s” to the last word of the compound.

How to Identify Possessive Nouns

3 ways to know-

1.Find the apostrophe first.

Your first hint is this! A noun is probably possessive if it contains an apostrophe, such as "s" or "just." For instance: babies, dogs, and cats.

2. Pose the question of ownership.

A noun is possessive if it can respond to the query, "Who owns this?"
For instance, who owns Sarah's bike? Sarah does.

3. Do not mistake it for plurals.

This is a typical error!

Dogs - several dogs.
Dog’s - something that belongs to a dog.
Dogs' refers to something that is owned by several dogs.
To determine it, use the context of the phrase. If it shows possession, it’s a possessive noun.

Learn more about possessive nouns!

4 Crucial Points to Keep in Mind When Using Possessive Nouns

These four golden guidelines can help you become more proficient with possessive nouns. Let's go over them with some useful hints and illustrations.

1. Add 's to the majority of singular nouns.

Even if the word already ends in "s," you add "s" to the end of a noun to indicate possession when it refers to a single person, location, or object.

For instance:

The bus’s route = One bus owns the route.
Chris's book = Chris owns the book.

However, there is a catch: some style manuals (particularly those used in journalism or earlier formal writing) only allow the apostrophe to follow a name that ends in "s," particularly for proper nouns.

Acceptable as well:

Some newspapers and style manuals prefer Chris' book.

2. Regarding Plural Nouns With "s" at the End, just include an apostrophe.

When discussing many individuals or objects when the plural noun already ends in "s," you just add an apostrophe at the end; no further "s" is required.

For instance:

The teachers’ room = The room used by all the teachers.
The dogs’ toys = Toys that belong to multiple dogs.

Possessive nouns are kept brief, neat, and readable by following this rule. Keep in mind that more than one + that ends in "s" is simply an apostrophe!

3. Add 's to irregular plural nouns

The standard "add an s" rule does not apply to all plural nouns. Consider irregular plurals that do not end in "s," such as children, men, women, and people.

Treat them in the same way as singular nouns in these situations: add "s" to indicate possession.

For instance:

Children’s games = The games belong to the children.
Men's restroom = A male-only restroom.
Women’s rights = Rights that belong to women.
Simply commit these common irregularities to memory and follow the rule; there is no shortcut here.

4. Avoid Using Possessive Pronouns with Apostrophes

Even experienced writers stumble over this one. Since possessive pronouns already indicate ownership, apostrophes are never used with them. These consist of- It is his, hers, ours, theirs, and yours.
Correct:

The cat licked its paw. (In this case, "its" indicates possession; an apostrophe is not required.)

Incorrect:

The cat licked it’s paw. (This implies that "it is" paw, which is illogical.)

A useful tip is to try substituting "it is" for "it's." You have the contraction correct if the sentence still makes sense. Use its if not.

Always ask yourself-

Does it have one owner or several?
Is there a "s" at the end already?
Is that a pronoun?

Say the sentence out loud whenever possible because your ears can often pick up on what your eyes are missing.

Despite their seemingly insignificant appearance, possessive nouns have a significant impact on how we communicate possession. Apostrophes are quite simple to employ once you learn to recognize them and ask "who owns it?" Be curious and practice and master possessive nouns effortlessly.

Book FREE Coding Trial Classes Now!