SPELLING WEEK 11

Possessive Nouns
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/possessive-case/
giant’s

Beyond the wall was a fierce giant. The giant’s head was huge.
giant’s head
giants’
Giants were fighting. The giants’ battle was heard throughout the
kingdom.

There is more than one giant

fighting, so we make the word
giant plural.
giants
Then, add an apostrophe because
both giants show ownership of
the battle.

giants’ battle
children’s
The children’s section of the library is very popular.
• The word “child” is singular.
• The word “children” is plural.
• Since the plural form of child (children) is
formed without adding “s”, we add an ‘s to
create the possessive form of children.

• children’s section of
the library
its
A monarch butterfly is noticeable because its wings are black and
orange.

“Its” is a pronoun that shows ownership.

This word shows ownership without using
an apostrophe.

Its is a possessive pronoun.

“Its wings” refers to the butterfly’s wings.

it’s
• It’s is not a possessive pronoun!
• It’s is the contraction form of it is.
• Today is beautiful because it’s sunny and warm.
• We can check the accuracy of our use of it’s by changing the
contraction form to it is.
• Today is beautiful because it is sunny and warm.
• That makes sense, so I can use it’s in this sentence.
Now try this:
• A monarch butterfly is noticeable because it’s wings are black and orange.
• Check the accuracy of it’s by changing it’s to it is.
• A monarch butterfly is noticeable because it is wings are black and orange.
• That does not make sense! I must use its to make this sentence correct!
• Correct: A monarch butterfly is noticeable because its wings are black and
orange.
sisters’
The three daughters all had bikes. The sisters’ bicycles were lined
up in front of the school.
There is more than one sister, so we make the
word sister plural.
sisters
Then, add an apostrophe because all three
sisters show ownership of the bicycles.

sisters’ bicycles
sister’s
Her oldest sister’s backpack was left on the table.
The word sister is
singular, so we create
the plural form of the
word by adding an
apostrophe and an s.

sister’s
nurses’
Nurses’ uniforms used to be white.
There is more than one nurse, so we make the
word nurse plural.
nurses
Then, add an apostrophe because all of the
nurses show ownership of their uniforms.

nurses’ uniforms