Possessive Nouns

1
PossessiveNouns

• Objective To identify and use different forms
  of possessive nouns To classify possessive nouns

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Definition

• A possessive noun shows ownership or
  relationship.
• Ownership shows who or what owns or has
  something.
• We use apostrophes to show this ownership/
  relationship
• Example
• Ownership the tourists passportthe tourist
  owns the passport
• Relationship the tourists companionthe tourist
  knows the person with him on the trip

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How to form?
Singular Singular Ending In s Plural Ending In -s Other Plurals
Add an apostrophe and -s Add an apostrophe and -s Add an apostrophe Add an apostrophe and -s
Suns Girls Tims Charless Thomass States Wives Farmers Childrens Geeses Mens
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Note!!

• A proper noun ending in s may take only an
  apostrophe to form the possessive case if the
  addition of s would make the name awkward to
  produce.
• This usually happens in classical or biblical
  names.
• Example Mount Parnassus elevation
• Example Pocahontas birthplace

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Hot Tip!!

• A reliable way to identify possessive nouns is to
  rewrite a sentence containing a possessive noun
  to include has or have.
• If the re-written sentence does make sense, then
  the noun is possessive.
• If the re-written sentence does not make sense,
  then the noun is not possessive.
• Example
• The students the author.
• The student has the author.
• Since the second sentence does not make sense,
  students is not possessive.
• Example
• Ikes dog is happy.
• Ike has a happy dog.
• Since the second sentence makes sense, Ikes is
  possessive.
  

6
Grammar Tip!!

• Another reliable way to check for possession is
  to replace the noun with a possessive personal
  pronoun (his, her, its, or their).
• If the sentence still makes sense, then the noun
  is usually possessive.
• If the sentence does not make sense, then the
  noun is probably not possessive.
• Example
• Ritas book is new.
• Her book is new.
• Since the second sentence makes sense, the noun
  is possessive.

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Try it together! What is the possessive form of
the noun?

• In (Missouri) southwestern corner stands a modest
  frame home.
• The (farmhouse) appearance is like that of many
  others.
• Visitors may not recognize one of our (country)
  monuments.
• Yet, within its walls lived one of (history)
  finest agricultural scientists, George Washington
  Carver.
• As a young boy, he survived most (children) worst
  nightmare, the loss of both parents.
• (Neighbor) actions helped him to overcome his
  greatest difficulties.
• At the monument, children can walk through the
  (area) many woods and fields, where Carvers
  interest in plants began.
• In time, his work benefited many people.
• The (home) simplicity reminds visitors of this
  great (person) humble background.

8
Try it! Write the possessive form of the noun and
label as singular or plural.

1. Stonehenge is a circle of stone monuments on
   England Salisbury Plain.
2. This monument of unknown people religion is
   believed to be more than 5,000 years old.
3. America Stonehenge copies are younger and
   smaller.
4. Sam Hill Stonehenge sits overlooking Washington
   Columbia River.
5. Hill built the monument in WWI soldiers honor.
6. Georgia Stonehenge copy, called the Georgia
   Guidestones, has 6 granite slabs.
7. The slabs carvings are in 12 languages and
   suggest that readers lives will be better if they
   avoid useless officials.
8. Carhenge, an arrangement of cars in Alliance,
   Nebraska, forms that town tribute to Stonehenge.
9. With some standing upright and others lying
   across them, the cars reproduce the stones
   arrangement in the real Stonehenge.
10. In Alliance, residents pride in Carhenge is
    suggested by their gift shop sign We sell
    Carhenge souvenirs.