Have you ever wondered what a possessive noun is? And mostly, what makes it different from a noun? What makes it possessive? That’s what we will discover in the following text.
What Is a Possessive Noun?
A possessive noun shows ownership. It is usually identified by ’s. For example, in the sentence The lady’s cat is old, lady’s is a possessive noun that shows that the cat belongs to her. Almost any noun can become possessive, as you can see in the examples below.
Possessive noun examples:
- Dog → dog’s
- Alice → Alice’s
- The Empire State Building → The Empire State Building’s
The apostrophe determines whether a noun is possessive or plural, because in English, we also use the “s” to add plural to a noun. Therefore, note the difference between:
These dogs are noisy. (Dog is plural)
The dog’s collar is blue. (dog’s is a possessive noun → the collar belongs to the dog)
Possessive nouns are followed by the object of the possessive. The object of the possessive is usually placed right after the possessive noun.
However, adjectives can still be included in between, like in the phrase “The dog’s blue collar”. In that last sentence, the possessive noun is dog’s, showing that the collar belongs to him, but the adjective blue is added to describe the colour of the collar.
What Are the Four Types of Possessive Nouns?
There are four types of possessive nouns:
- Singular possessive nouns;
- Plural possessive nouns;
- Possessive pronouns;
- Irregular possessive nouns.
What are the different types of nouns?
What Is a Singular Possessive Noun?
This is the most basic form: [singular noun] + [’s]
Ex: This man’s hat.
What is a plural Possessive Noun?
Plural nouns that already have an s at the end are trickier to make possessive, because the s sound would otherwise be excessive. In that case, only an apostrophe will be added, as shown in the examples below.
Three years’ experience.
Teams’ tournament.
What Is a Possessive Pronoun?
Possessive pronouns refer to the noun form of pronouns that show possession. Like regular pronouns, they are used instead of other nouns mostly to avoid repetition. However, they do not come before the object of the possessive. There are seven: mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs and whose.
What Is an Irregular Possessive Noun?
Irregular plural nouns change form rather than adding an –s to make them plural. Thus, we treat them like singular nouns when making them possessive. To understand better, take a look at the following examples.
- Wife → wives
- Foot → feet
- Knife → knives
- Mouse → mice
What Are Two Ways to Use Possessive Nouns in a Sentence?
- Before another noun: in that case, they essentially play the same role as possessive determiners such as “my”. A possessive used this way modifies the noun that comes next, which represents the thing or person “possessed”.
- Independently: when used independently, the possessive noun stands alone (it is not connected to another noun). However, the possessive noun is still implicitly connected to an other noun from earlier in the sentence or clear in the context. It is used in the same way as the possessive pronoun “mine”.
Examples: Possessive Nouns in Sentences
| Before another noun | Independent |
| Kevin’s cat is black. | I left my dog at Diana’s. |
| My sister’s hand is broken. | The toy that fell from the car was her daughter’s. |
| Valentine’s day is coming soon. | The responsibility to ensure safety around the pool is the lifeguard’s. |
What Is the Compound Possessive?
A compound possessive is formed by a series of two or more nouns joined by conjunctions. In some cases all nouns should be in the possessive form, but in other cases only the last word will take the possessive form.
To be more specific, when the multiple nouns possess something separately, they will all be possessive. When the nouns share something collectively, only the last noun will take the possessive form.
| All nouns possessive | Last noun possessive |
| Lilian’s and Paul’s cars are red. (They have separate cars) | Laura and Felix’s children are smart. (They have children together) |
| Dog’s and cat’s noses usually have the same shape. (They don’t share the same nose, they each have their own) | Jude and Alice’s apartment is beautiful. (They live together) |
What Are the Differences Between Possession and Contraction?
Be careful! The apostrophe is also used in contractions. Therefore, when you see an apostrophe it does not mean that there is a possession. Contraction is the shortening of words as we can see in the example “it’s”, a short term for “it is”. The meaning intended in the sentence is usually clear if you look at the context.
If the noun is directly followed by another noun, you can assume that it is possessive. If it is followed by an adverb, a verb or an article, it is most likely a contraction.
| Possession | Contractions |
| The dog’s tail is wagging. | The dog’s not here. (dog’s → dog is) |
| Kim’s job is exhausting. | I don’t think that Kim’s travelled much. (Kim’s → Kim has) |
Indicating Possession With “of”
The apostrophe is not the only way to indicate possession: the preposition “of” is also a used commonly. This phrasing is mostly used when the possessor is an object or concept (not an animal or person).
Examples:
NASA’s importance.
The importance of NASA
The office’s boss.
The boss of the office
“Of” can also be used to avoid a series of possessive nouns.
Examples
Kelly’s dancing’s songs.
The songs of Kelly’s dances. (Correct form)
Depending on the context of the sentence, the “of” version seems more natural than the possessive noun version.
What Is a Double Possessive?
Possessive nouns can occasionally be combined with “of” to express the possession in two different ways at once. For example, we could say “A friend of Taylor’s invited me to the party” instead of “A friend of Taylor invited me to the party”. The use of double possessives simply thrives to make a sentence sound smoother.
To conclude, a possessive noun is used to show the possession of something. There are many variants of possessives and many uses of them depending on the context. Therefore, a good understanding of possessive nouns will help you construct well-phrased sentences, whether by oral or written communication.
Need Help with Possessive Form?
Do you need help with compound nouns? Do you have difficulties with proper nouns or any other type of noun? Does your child need help understanding indefinite pronouns?
Our certified tutors can help with a variety of topics, from academic writing to English grammar (such as the separate noun possessive, abstract nouns, awkward spelling).
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Mass Noun?
A mass noun is one whose quantity cannot be counted, like sugar, knowledge or water.
What Is a Collective Noun?
A collective noun is a name that represents several things, such as a team, the crowd or a gang.
What Are 10 Examples of Possessive?
Here are 10 examples of possessive nouns:
- Cat’s whiskers
- Dog’s ball
- Father’s cap
- Children’s lollipop
- Teacher’s apple
- Cinderella’s shoe
- Neighbour’s car
- Mouse’s cheese
- Grandma’s knitting
- Brother’s video game
How Do You Know If a Noun is Possessive?
A possessive noun indicates ownership in sentences, and the possessive form of noun is usually identified by an “s”. Example: “My sister’s cat is weird”.
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