Apostrophes for possession
One owner or many, where the apostrophe goes for each, and the plurals that never need one.
The answer
A possessive apostrophe shows that something belongs to someone: add ’s for one owner (the girl’s name) and just an apostrophe after the s for more than one (the girls’ names).
Examples
The girl’s name is Ruby.
One girl.
The girls’ names were on the board.
More than one girl, so the apostrophe goes after the s.
Hannah’s mother drove us to town.
The children’s paintings were on the wall.
Children is plural but does not end in s, so it takes ’s.
The dog’s lead is by the door.
How to spot it
- Ask whether something belongs to it. If the word just means more than one (the dogs barked), there is no apostrophe.
- Work out the owner first, then add the apostrophe to the owner’s word: one girl, girl’s; several girls, girls’.
- Plurals that do not end in s take ’s: children’s, men’s, mice’s.
The common mistake
Adding an apostrophe to ordinary plurals.
‘Apple’s for sale’ is wrong. A plural that owns nothing never needs an apostrophe: apples for sale.
When it is taught
- First met
- Year 2
- On the pupil word list
- Year 2, as “apostrophe”
Year 2 uses apostrophes for singular possession (the girl’s name). Year 4 adds plural possession (the girls’ names) and the difference between plural and possessive -s.
Try a question
Which sentence shows that the bikes belong to more than one boy? Tick one.
- The boy’s bikes were muddy.
- The boys’ bikes were muddy.
- The boys bike’s were muddy.
- The boys’s bikes were muddy.
Show the answer
Answer: The boys’ bikes were muddy.
Boys is the plural owner and ends in s, so the apostrophe goes after the s.
Practise it
An interactive exercise where your child decides whether each apostrophe shows missing letters or belonging.
Related terms
- Practise the 11+ skill: Mark possession
- Practise the 11+ skill: Distinguish contraction and possession
More grammar terms
Questions parents ask
What about names that end in s, like James?
You will see both James’s and James’. Many schools teach James’s, because James is one owner and one owner takes ’s.
Does its need an apostrophe to show belonging?
No. Its is a possessive already: the tree lost its leaves. It’s means it is or it has.
When is plural possession taught?
In Year 4. Year 2 covers one owner; Year 4 adds more than one owner.
Grammar turns up in 11+ English too
Many 11+ English papers include grammar and punctuation questions alongside comprehension. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.