Possessive Nouns

Here are the general rules to follow to show possession or ownership of singular and proper nouns.

To form the possessive of a singular, proper, or common noun, add an apostrophe and -s or -'s to the owner's name.

Example:

  • the pupil's reports

To form the possessive of proper names ending in -s or -z, add an apostrophe and -s or -'s to the owner's name.

Examples:

  • Tess's doll
  • Mr. Cruz's car

To form the possessive of a religious or a Greek name ending in -s or a name ending in an /-ez/ sound, add an apostrophe (').

Examples:

  • Achilles' heel
  • Ramses' tomb

To form the possessive of proper names ending in -s followed by a word beginning with s, add an apostrophe (') only.

Example:

  • James' skateboard

Note: It can also be with an apostrophe and an -s or -'s.

Example:

  • James's skateboard

Both are correct.