Navigation
Possessives
Possessives show who owns something using an apostrophe and 's' or just an apostrophe.
A1Nouns, Articles & Determiners
What is a possessive and how to build it
Use possessives to show who owns something. Add 's to most nouns and plural nouns without an s. Use ' only for plural nouns ending in s.
When to use possessives
- To show ownership (e.g. my dog’s tail).
- To name people with family names (e.g. Smith’s house).
- To describe time or distance (e.g. a day’s pay).
Examples of correct possessives
- Tom’s bike is red.
- My teacher’s car broke down.
- We fixed the children’s swing.
- The government’s new rule surprised everyone.
- She fixed your parents’ laptop.
- 5 minutes’ break is not enough.
Common mistakes and fixes
- Wrong: Teachers houses. Correct: Teachers’ houses.
- Wrong: The book of John. Correct: John’s book.
- Wrong: All of her’s. Correct: Hers — use pronouns not possessives
Quick memory tip
Add 's like magic shoes: always at the end. Plural nouns already in s? Just add an apostrophe!
Quick check
This is _____ book.
Where this matters in your exam
IELTS assesses possessive forms in Writing Task 2 and Speaking to check ownership clarity.
- Writing Task 2
Use possessives to clearly describe ownership in essay examples.
- Speaking Part 1
Talk about personal items using my/your/their possession.