Possessive Nouns — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Sort each phrase into With 's (singular possessive) or With s' (plural possessive).
With 's
Sam's bikeMia's hatthe cat's bowl With s'
the dogs' tailsthe kids' toysthe girls' books Singular nouns add apostrophe plus s, while plural nouns ending in s take only an apostrophe after the final s.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The dog's tail is long. (dog)
For a singular noun, we add 's to show ownership, like dog's tail.
2. That is Sam's backpack. (Sam)
Singular names take 's to show what belongs to that person.
3. The bird's nest is in the tree. (bird)
Singular nouns like bird form possessives by adding apostrophe plus s.
4. I like Mia's new shoes. (Mia)
Names of single people take 's to show the items that belong to them.
5. The cat's bowl is empty. (cat)
A single animal name adds 's to form a possessive noun.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The word Sam's shows that something belongs to Sam.
True False
Yes. Adding 's to a singular noun shows that something belongs to that person or thing.
2. We write dogs' when one dog owns something.
True False
No. One dog uses dog's. The form dogs' means many dogs share ownership.
3. The bird's wing means the wing of one bird.
True False
Correct. Bird's with apostrophe before the s shows a single bird owns the wing.
4. Singular possessives never use an apostrophe.
True False
Singular possessives always need an apostrophe plus s, like girl's or Tom's.