Name
f
Possessive Nouns
A possessive noun names who or what owns or has something. Possessive nouns can be
singular or plural, common or proper. Add an apostrophe and an -s to form the possessive of
a singular noun.
cat + 's =
cat's
Jess
+ 's =
Je55's
Add an apostrophe (') to form the possessive of a plural noun that ends in
boys+'= boys'
rivers+'=
-s.
rivers'
Add an apostrophe and an -s ('s) to form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end
in -s.
men + 's =
men's
mice + '5 = mice's
Directions
Write the correct possessive form of the nouns in parentheses.
(Lewis and Clark) expedition began in 1804. Lewis and Clark's
1. President (Jefferson) orders were to explore the Louisiana Purclase.
v
2. The (expedition) members included trappers, soldiers, and volunteers.
3. Lewis and Clark took along a (trader) wife named Sacajawea.
4. (Sacajawea) family was Shoshone, but she had been taken captive as a child.
5. Finally the expedition reached the Missouri (River) three forks.
6. Sacajawea remembered her (tribe) route from her childhood.
c
7. When the explorers met the Shoshone tribe, the (warriors) songs of joy filled the air.
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3
o
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8. Imagine the (chief) amazement when he recognized Sacajawea as his sister.
9. Thanks to the (explorers) hard work, Congress learned valuable information about the
atea.
10, A whole new frontier soon opened to (America) settlers.
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v
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Writer's Choice: Grammar Reteaching Grade
f
8,
Unit
9
5
"
l{ame
Date ............
Class
contractions end with the letter -s. A conMost plural nouns, most possesslves, an(I some
tractionisawordmadebvcombininstwowordsintoonetlqqlt]]l?::l^"::,::moreletomitted. To determirq whether a
theletters have been
wordisaplural,apossessive,oracontraction'noticehowitisused'
ff;'il';*ir"oi.'rr,;;s'where
Used as
plural noun
plural possessive
singular possessive
contraction
Example
The bands marched.
-
The bands' uniforms were colorful'
The band's uniforms were colorful'
The band s at the game.
Directions
underlined word is used'
Read each sentence and decide how the
;;;,;
singular
possessive, a
plural
possessive'
Identify it
as a
plural
or a contraction'
possessive
Rachel Carson's life began on a farm' singular
be published in a childrens magazine'
1. As a child, she submitted her stories to
major in college was English literature'
2. Since she wanted to be a writer, Carson's
her major to science'
3. Much to her teachers' surprise, she changed
4. She received her master's degree in marine biology'
soon realized, this woman's a writer who
5. As those who worked with Rachel Carson
for nature'
combines scientific knowledge with her passion
with rittle concern about this poison6. The use of DDT was increasing at an alarming rate
ous chemical's adverse effects'
7.
She had
balance of nature' but none
written severai books and many articles about the
won as much attention as Silent Spring'
her publisher'
8. Chemical companies' complaints went to
claimed'
9. "That writer's just a nature fanatic!" they
of humanity's contamination of our planet'
'lo. The book succeeded in making people aware
6
rI
8' Unit 9
Writer's Choice: Grammar Reteaching' Grade