One owner and what belongs to them
When the owner is one person, one animal, or one group, we add ’s after the owner’s name. This immediately shows the relationship between the owner and an object, body part, place, or person.
First we name the owner, then what is connected with them. In the phrase Maria’s bag, Maria names the owner, and bag is the thing connected with her.
singular owner + ’s + owned person/thing
This is Maria’s bag.
This is Maria’s bag.
Maria is one owner, so ’s comes after the name.
The cat’s bowl is clean.
The cat’s bowl is clean.
Cat is one animal; ’s shows the relationship between the cat and the bowl.
Form and word order
Put the apostrophe before s: Anna’s phone, the doctor’s office. Do not separate ’s with a space or add another ’s.
English word order begins with the owner: Anna’s bicycle. The English phrase is therefore ordered as the owner followed by the thing owned.
Anna + ’s + bicycle → Anna’s bicycle
Omar’s phone is on the desk.
Omar’s phone is on the desk.
The owner Omar comes before the thing phone.
The teacher’s chair is by the window.
The teacher’s chair is by the window.
The singular noun teacher takes ’s as one continuous written form.
Not only literal ownership
Possessive ’s often expresses a family, work, or part-to-whole relationship: my friend’s name, the doctor’s office, the dog’s tail. The thing does not necessarily legally “belong” to the owner.
This form is especially natural for people and animals. It also occurs with organizations, places, and time, but at this level the main skill is confidently naming one owner or one related person.
My friend’s name is Sara.
My friend’s name is Sara.
Name is connected with one friend; it is not an object, but the possessive form is natural.
The dog’s tail is wet.
The dog’s tail is wet.
Tail is part of one animal’s body, so we use dog’s.
’s as a possessive form and as a contraction
The same spelling, ’s, has different roles. Before a following noun, it often shows a relationship: Maya’s bag. Before an adjective or a place expression, Maya’s can be a contraction of Maya is: Maya’s tired.
Look at the word after ’s and at the overall meaning. In Maya’s bag, bag names the thing; in Maya’s at home, at home tells us where Maya is.
Maya’s bag is here.
Maya’s bag is here.
Bag comes after Maya’s, so ’s shows a connection with a thing.
Maya’s tired.
Maya’s tired.
Here Maya’s means Maya is; it is a contraction, not possession.
Names ending in -s: two acceptable styles
If a singular name already ends in s, both styles are possible in modern writing: James’ bike and James’s bike. Both can mean “James’s bicycle.”
Use the style consistently within a text, but do not correct either of these forms as a grammar mistake. In this lesson, both are accepted.
James’ bike is new.
James’ bike is new.
Only an apostrophe is added after James—this is an acceptable style.
James’s bike is new.
James’s bike is new.
’s is added after James—this is also an acceptable style.
The boundary with my, his, her and the of construction
The words my, your, his, her, its, our, and their already show possession, so we do not add ’s after them: my coat, her desk. The form my’s is ungrammatical.
For inanimate things, English often uses of or a noun modifier: the door of the room, the kitchen table. This does not make every ’s form impossible; the choice depends on the type of relationship and established usage.
This is my coat.
This is my coat.
My already has a possessive function, so no apostrophe is needed.
The door of the room is open.
The door of the room is open.
The of construction is natural for a part of an inanimate thing; it is an alternative pattern, not a mistake.
How to use the form in speech
When speaking, first identify who or what you are naming as the owner, and then put that name before the necessary noun. For “Nina’s key,” think Nina + ’s + key.
A possessive group works inside a statement, question, or answer: Nina’s key is here; Is this Nina’s key?; It’s Nina’s. In your own answers, you can use real or invented names.
Nina’s key is on the table.
Nina’s key is on the table.
The complete possessive group Nina’s key is the subject of the sentence.
It’s Nina’s key.
It’s Nina’s key.
The first It’s means It is, while Nina’s before key shows the owner.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:This is Maria bag.
Correct:This is Maria’s bag.
The possessive ’s is needed between the one owner Maria and the thing bag.
Incorrect:Omar’s’s phone is on the desk.
Correct:Omar’s phone is on the desk.
Add the possessive marker only once: Omar’s.
Incorrect:This is my’s coat.
Correct:This is my coat.
My is already a possessive determiner; the additional ’s makes the form ungrammatical.
Incorrect:The bicycle’s Anna is new.
Correct:Anna’s bicycle is new.
The owner Anna must come before the thing bicycle, and ’s attaches to the owner.