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Possessive 's: How to Show Who Owns What (Mary's Car)
The possessive 's shows who owns something: it attaches to the owner, not the thing owned.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
The possessive 's is added to a noun or name to show who something belongs to: Mary's car. The apostrophe and s go right after the owner, not after the object.
When to use 's and when just '
The owner comes first
The owner goes first, followed by 's, and the object comes last: "Maria's car." You could technically say "the car of Maria," but it sounds overly formal and is rarely used in everyday speech.
Plural vs. possessive: they look almost the same but mean different things
"The dogs" (more than one dog) is not the same as "the dog's" (belonging to one dog) or "the dogs'" (belonging to more than one dog). All three sound almost identical when spoken, but they mean completely different things in writing, so the apostrophe placement matters a lot.
Does 's always mean possession?
No. 's can also be the contraction of "is" or "has": "She's happy" (she is), "She's finished" (she has). To tell them apart, check what comes after: a noun means possessive ("Anna's book"), an adjective or verb means contraction ("Anna's tired," "Anna's left").
One owner, many owners
For one owner, add 's: "the girl's bag." For a plural owner that already ends in -s, add only an apostrophe: "the girls' bags." For a plural owner that does not end in -s, add 's: "the children's toys," "the people's voice." A quick trick is to ask who owns it, then write that owner and add the mark.
Practice the possessive 's with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Singular and plural owners
Two owners: who gets the 's?
When two people share one thing, add 's only to the last name: "Anna and Carlos's house" (one house they share). When each person has their own thing, add it to both: "Anna's and Carlos's houses" (two different houses). This detail is rare in casual conversation but common in writing, especially in emails and stories.
Examples of possessive 's
- This is my sister's phone.
- The teacher's desk is at the front.
- The dog's bowl is empty.
- Where are the children's shoes?
- Sam and Lucy's wedding is in June.
Possessive versus plural
Incorrect
The boy's are playing outside.
Correct
The boys are playing outside.
possessive 's in a real conversation
A: "Whose jacket is this?" B: "It's Maria's, I think." A: "And these keys? Are they your parents'?" B: "No, they're my brother's."
Is it 's for possession or 's for is?
The same ending can mean two things. "Maria's happy" means Maria is happy, and "Maria's car" means the car belongs to Maria. A quick test: if you can replace 's with is or has, it is a contraction, not a possessive. "Maria's happy" becomes "Maria is happy," but "Maria's car" cannot become "Maria is car." Reading the full sentence always makes it clear.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use the possessive 's in English?
You add it right after the owner to show possession: Mary's car, the cat's food.
How do you make a name ending in s possessive, like James or Chris?
You add 's just like with any other name: James's book, Chris's phone. You'll also see James' without the extra s, but the full 's form is the more common style today.
What's the difference between plural and possessive with an apostrophe?
"The dogs" is plural (more than one dog). "The dog's" is singular possessive (belonging to one dog). "The dogs'" is plural possessive (belonging to more than one dog). The apostrophe placement changes the meaning completely.
How do you make a plural noun ending in s possessive?
You just add the apostrophe, no extra s: "the students' books," "my parents' house."
Does 's always mean possession?
No, it can also be the contraction of "is" or "has": "She's happy" (she is), "She's left" (she has). If a noun follows, it's possessive; if an adjective or verb follows, it's a contraction.
How do you say "Maria's car" if you're translating from a language that says it the other way around?
The owner goes first, followed by 's, and the object comes last: "Maria's car," not "the car of Maria."
Do I use 's with things, like the leg of the table?
For objects, English often prefers of: "the leg of the table." With people, animals, and time, 's is more common: "the dog's tail," "yesterday's news."
How do I pronounce 's?
It depends on the last sound: /s/ after voiceless sounds (cat's), /z/ after voiced sounds (dog's), and /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch sounds (boss's).
What does Whose mean?
Whose asks about the owner: "Whose book is this?" The answer uses the possessive: "It's Ana's."
What is the difference between 's and s'?
's shows one owner (the girl's bag, one girl). s' shows several owners whose name ends in s (the girls' bags, several girls).
Practice the possessive 's with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Keep learning
- Possessive Adjectives in English: My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, TheirThe 7 possessive adjectives in English, with examples and the two mix-ups everyone makes: its/it's and your/you're.
- Possessive Pronouns in English: Mine, Yours, His, Hers, Ours, TheirsThe 6 possessive pronouns in English, with examples and the rule almost everyone breaks: no apostrophe, ever.
- Plural Nouns in English: Regular and Irregular Rules (Cats, Boxes, Children)Most plurals in English just add -s, but there are spelling rules and exceptions you have to memorize.