Possessive nouns are used to indicate ownership.
Possessive nouns usually are formed by adding an apostrophe (‘) and s.
- John’s book
- Kerry’s car
- Grandma’s mirror
When a noun is plural and ends in s, just add an apostrophe (‘).
- The kids’ toys
- My parents’ house
- The teachers’ lounge
If two people own one thing, add the apostrophe and s to the second person only.
- John and Mary’s new house
- David and Sue’s wedding
- Tom and Doug’s car
If two people own separate things, add the apostrophe and s for each person.
- Susan’s and Beth’s books
- Jean’s and Dan’s pants
- Ben’s and Jim’s offices
[Quiz 3.1]
Which of the following is not correct?
1)Dr. Hunts has a new computer.
2)Dr. Hunts’s new computer is working well.
3)Dr. Hunts’ computer is new.
[3.1]
Both 2 and 3 are the correct answers. In your writing, you should be consistent. If you choose to leave the final ‘s’ out, then leave it out throughout your writing.