B1 Grammar Nouns

Possessives: 's, Apostrophes and Possessive Pronouns

Possessives show who or what something belongs to — from the apostrophe s (the dog’s bone) to possessive pronouns (that book is mine) and the tricky difference between its and it’s.

Possessives tell us who or what something belongs to. English has several ways of showing possession: the possessive ’s (as in Sarah’s phone), the of-construction (as in the leg of the table), and a set of possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns (my, your, his and mine, yours, his). Choosing the right one depends on whether the owner is a person, an animal, an organisation or an inanimate object.

For learners at B1 to C1 level, the hardest parts are not the basic rules but the details: where exactly the apostrophe goes on plural nouns, when to use of instead of ’s, and the notorious clash between its and it’s. This guide covers all of these with natural British-English examples.

The Possessive 's with Singular Nouns

To show that something belongs to a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus s (’s). This works for people, animals and most other singular nouns.

With singular names ending in s, both James’s and James’ are accepted in British English. The form with an extra s (James’s book) reflects how we say it, while James’ is also common, especially in print.

Apostrophes with Plural Nouns

For regular plural nouns that already end in s, add only an apostrophe after the s — do not add another one. Compare the singular and plural carefully, because the position of the apostrophe changes the meaning entirely.

Type of noun Rule Example
Singular noun add ’s the dog’s kennel (one dog)
Regular plural (ends in s) add ’ only the dogs’ kennel (several dogs)
Irregular plural (no s) add ’s the children’s toys
Singular name ending in s add ’s or ’ James’s / James’ idea

Listen for the meaning: the dog’s bone belongs to one dog, but the dogs’ kennel is shared by several dogs. The apostrophe sits before the s for one owner and after the s for more than one.

Irregular Plurals: children's, people's, women's

Some plurals do not end in s — children, people, men, women. Because they have no plural s, you add ’s just as you would to a singular noun.

Joint vs Separate Possession

When two people own something together, add ’s only to the second name. When they own things separately, add ’s to each name. The difference changes the meaning, so it matters.

The of-Construction vs 's

We usually use ’s for people, animals, organisations and expressions of time, and the of-construction for inanimate things and abstract ideas.

A useful guide: if the owner is alive or acts like a person (a person, an animal, a team, a company, a country), ’s sounds natural. If it is a lifeless object, prefer the X of the Y: the roof of the house, the title of the book.

Possessive Adjectives vs Possessive Pronouns

Possessive adjectives come before a noun and describe who owns it: my book, your idea, their house. Possessive pronouns stand alone, replacing the noun entirely: that book is mine. Crucially, none of the possessive pronouns has an apostrophe.

Person Possessive adjective Possessive pronoun
I my (my coat) mine (it’s mine)
you your (your turn) yours (the choice is yours)
he his (his bag) his (the bag is his)
she her (her keys) hers (the keys are hers)
it its (its tail) — (rarely used)
we our (our team) ours (the win is ours)
they their (their car) theirs (the car is theirs)

Its vs It's: The Big One

This is the single most common possessive mistake in English. its (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective meaning belonging to it. it’s (with an apostrophe) is the contraction of it is or it has.

Quick test: if you can replace the word with it is or it has, use it’s with an apostrophe. If you cannot, use its with no apostrophe. It’s lost its collar works because the first means it has and the second means belonging to it.

The Double Possessive

English allows a double possessive — combining of with ’s or a possessive pronoun. It is correct and very natural, especially after a friend of.

Common Mistakes

Practice Exercises

Grammar Quiz

Choose the right possessive form and apostrophe placement.

Matching Pairs

Match possessive adjectives to their matching possessive pronouns.

Cloze Dropdown

Select its or it’s, your or you’re, to complete each gap.

Flash Cards

Drill possessive adjectives, pronouns and apostrophe rules.

Complete the Sentence

Type the correct possessive form to finish each sentence.

Unjumble

Reorder scrambled words into natural possessive sentences.

Practise Possessives

LexFizz has 30 free interactive exercises — no sign-up needed. Start mastering apostrophes and possessive pronouns today.

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Explore related grammar topics:

All Grammar Topics Pronouns Determiners Articles Adjectives Quantifiers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a possessive in English?
A possessive shows who or what something belongs to. English has several forms: the possessive ’s (Sarah’s phone), the of-construction (the leg of the table), and possessive adjectives and pronouns (my, your, his and mine, yours, his). The form you choose depends mainly on whether the owner is a person, an animal, an organisation or an inanimate object.
Where does the apostrophe go with plural nouns?
For a regular plural that already ends in s, add only an apostrophe after the s: the dogs’ kennel (several dogs). For a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus s: the dog’s kennel (one dog). The apostrophe sits before the s for one owner and after the s for more than one, so its position changes the meaning.
What is the difference between its and it's?
Its with no apostrophe is the possessive adjective meaning belonging to it: The dog wagged its tail. It’s with an apostrophe is the contraction of it is or it has: It’s raining. A quick test: if you can replace the word with it is or it has, use it’s; if you cannot, use its.
How do I form the possessive of irregular plurals like children?
Irregular plurals such as children, people, men and women do not end in s, so you add an apostrophe plus s just as you would to a singular noun: the children’s toys, the people’s choice, the women’s team. You never write childrens’, because children is already plural without an s.
What is the difference between joint and separate possession?
When two people own something together, add ’s only to the second name: Tom and Jerry’s house means they share one house. When they own things separately, add ’s to each name and make the noun plural: Tom’s and Jerry’s houses means each has his own house. The placement of the apostrophe signals whether the ownership is shared or separate.
When should I use the of-construction instead of 's?
Use ’s for people, animals, organisations and expressions of time (the teacher’s desk, the company’s policy, a week’s holiday). Use the of-construction for inanimate objects and abstract ideas (the leg of the table, the end of the film). A simple guide: if the owner is alive or behaves like a person, ’s sounds natural; if it is a lifeless object, prefer the X of the Y.
How do you write the possessive of a name ending in s, like James?
For a singular name ending in s, British English accepts both James’s and James’. The form with an extra s (James’s book) reflects how the word is usually pronounced, while James’ is also common, especially in print. Either is correct, but be consistent within a single piece of writing.
What is the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?
Possessive adjectives come before a noun and describe who owns it: my book, your idea, their house. Possessive pronouns stand alone and replace the noun entirely: that book is mine, the choice is yours, the car is theirs. The full pairs are my/mine, your/yours, his/his, her/hers, its/(none), our/ours and their/theirs.
Do possessive pronouns ever take an apostrophe?
No. Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs and its are all written without one. Writing her’s or their’s is always wrong. The only time you see an apostrophe with one of these spellings is in it’s, which is a contraction of it is or it has, not a possessive at all.
What is a double possessive?
A double possessive combines of with a possessive ’s or a possessive pronoun, as in a friend of mine or a colleague of John’s. It is correct, natural English and very common after a friend of. We say a friend of mine rather than a friend of me, and an idea of theirs rather than an idea of them.