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Possessives. Rule # 1. Use apostrophes to form the possessive forms of singular and plural nouns . Declining Square Square # 1 – regular singular Square # 2 – regular plural dog dogs cactus cacti Thomas Thomases
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Rule # 1 Use apostrophes to form the possessive forms of singular and plural nouns. Declining Square Square # 1 – regular singularSquare # 2 – regular plural dog dogs cactus cacti Thomas Thomases Square # 3 – possessive singularSquare # 4 – possessive plural dog’s dogs’ cactus’ cacti’s Thomas’sThomases’
Thumbnail Instruction: Square 1 – the regular noun Square 2 – usually add an “s ” to square Square 3 – usually add an “ ’s” to square 1 (unless it’s too difficult to say, then just add an “s”) Square 4 – usually add an “ ’s ” to square 2 (unless it's too difficult to say, then just add an “ ’ ”)
Now try making these possessive: • the mail of Shana = • Shana's mail • the toy of her daughter = • her daughter's toys • the cars of the parents = • the parents' cars (or parent's cars… depending on intention)
Exceptions: • the dog of the Jones (family) = • Joneses' dog (see FYI above… again depends on intention) • the heel of Achilles = • Achilles' heel • the rules of the syllabus = • syllabus' rules
Rule # 2 Use apostrophes in place of missing letters in contractions. • 10 of the clock = 10 o'clock • 2007 = '07 • you are = you're
How do I make “it is” into a contraction? • it is = it's • How do I make it possessive? --its = it as possessive
Rule # 3 Use apostrophes to form the plural of non-words (letters, numbers, signs – but not years). • The sign has two i’sand three 6’s. • Using &’s in your writing has been banned since the 1960s. • Mississippi is spelled with four s's, four i's, and two p's.
Rule # 4 Use apostrophes to form the plural of words when referred to as words. • Your writing has too many and’s in it.
Rule # 5 When two or more people possess something individually, each of their names is possessive. When the two have joint possession, only the last word is possessive. (Exception – When the second word in joint ownership is a possessive pronoun, the first word is also possessive.)
What type of relationship? • “Ali and Faye’s report” • (joint ownership) • “Ali’s and Faye’s reports” • (separate ownership) • “Ali’s and her report” • (joint ownership)
Now try these: 1. ________________ coffee shop is going out of business because Sam and Joe can no longer stand working together. a. Sam and Joe's b. Sam's and Joe's c. Sams and Joes a. Sam and Joe's 2. ________________ girlfriends are fighting again. • Bobs and Jims b. Bob and Jim's c. Bob's and Jim's c. Bob's and Jim's
FYI: • Mr. and Mrs. Jones have a new car. • The Joneses have a new car. • Mr. Jones's car is new. • The Joneses' car is new.