rainbow grammar
Year Three
Plural possession
Recap & build upon:
• Year 2 W&P: singular possession
Key Idea: plural nouns show possession by placing the apostrophe after the s.
Key Vocabulary: noun, plural
Build on: noun, noun phrase, phrase, singular
Regular plural nouns that end with the suffixes –s or –es show possession by placing the apostrophe after the s.
Singular Possession
girl’s coat
star’s brightness
boy’s homework
leopard’s spots
Irregular Plural Possession
girls’ coats
stars’ brightness
boys’ homework
leopards’ spots
Deepening Understanding
Irregular plural nouns that do not end with the suffixes –s or –es, show possession by placing the apostrophe before the –
s in the same manner as singular possession.
Singular Possession
child’s toys
mouse’s cheese
person’s beliefs
tooth’s cavity
Irregular Plural Possession
children’s toys
mice’s cheese
people’s beliefs
teeth’s cavities
Teaching Tip
A simple way of helping children to place the apostrophe in the correct position is to rewrite the noun phrase as
[noun] of the [possessive noun]. For example:
the boys coats
Singular possession: the coats of the boy
Plural possession: the coats of the boys
Now, add the apostrophe after the possessive noun.
Singular possession: the coats of the boy’
Plural possession: the coats of the boys’
Add the s for singular possession
Singular possession: the coats of the boy’s
Plural possession: the coats of the boys’
Finally, turn the phrase back into its original form.
Singular possession: the boy’s coats
Plural possession: the boys’ coats
© Jason Wade Education Ltd, 2015
The content of this document may be reproduced free of charge by Jeffries Primary and Nursery School, Nottinghamshire, for non-commercial use
provided that the material is acknowledged as copyright of Jason Wade Education Ltd, and it is reproduced accurately including all logos of the
copyright owner. The content may not be published online, used for any promotional or commercial purpose of the school and copies (including
electronic copies) may not be distributed beyond the school, offered for sale, sold, hired or be shown to fee paying audiences.
72