An apostrophe can show belonging. For one owner, add 's: the dog's bone, Sam's bag, the teacher's desk.
For a plural owner that ends in s, add only the apostrophe after the s: the birds' nests, the girls' changing room. For a plural that does not end in s, add 's: the children's coats, the men's team.
Do not use an apostrophe for ordinary plurals. “Apples for sale” needs no apostrophe, because nothing belongs to the apples.
Worked example
Write: the toys belonging to the three boys
- Boys is plural and ends in s.
- Add the apostrophe after the s.
Answer:the boys' toys
Key words
- possession
- owning or belonging
- owner
- the person or thing something belongs to
- plural
- more than one
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.3.2d