Lesson 6 of 46

Possessives and apostrophes

Use 's, s', its, and it's correctly.

The rules

1.Add 's to show ownership for one owner: the manager's report. Add just an apostrophe after a plural -s: the employees' room.
2.Irregular plurals add 's: the children's toys, the people's choice.
3.It's means it is or it has. Its shows ownership: The company changed its policy.
4.Never use an apostrophe to make a plural: two reports, not two report's. Possessive pronouns (yours, hers, ours, theirs) have no apostrophe.

Incorrect: ~~The company changed it's policy.~~

Correct: The company changed its policy.

"Its" shows possession.

Incorrect: ~~The childrens' toys are here.~~

Correct: The children's toys are here.

Irregular plurals (children, people) take 's.

Incorrect: ~~This book is your's.~~

Correct: This book is yours.

No apostrophe in possessive pronouns.

Watch out: Test: can you replace it's with "it is"? If not, you need its.

1. The dog wagged ___ tail.

2. Which means "the room belonging to several teachers"?

3. Which is correct?

Paste any text and see exactly what to fix, with the rule explained.