What Is Possession?
In English, possession shows that something belongs to someone or something. We use different structures to express this relationship clearly.
1. Possessive Nouns (Apostrophe + s)
For singular nouns, add 's. For plural nouns ending in s, add only an apostrophe.
• The dog's tail wagged happily.
• The students' books are on the table.
Exception: For irregular plurals (like children), use 's:
→ The children's toys are scattered everywhere.
2. Possessive Adjectives
These come before a noun to show ownership:
- my, your, his, her, its, our, their
• This is her car.
• They lost their keys.
3. Possessive Pronouns
Used alone (without a noun) to replace a noun phrase:
- mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
• Is this pen yours? — No, it’s hers.
• The victory is ours!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Its’ does not exist! Use its (possessive) vs. it’s (= it is).
- ❌ Don’t confuse your (possessive adjective) with you’re (= you are).
- ✅ Remember: Apostrophes show possession, not plurals!
Quick Quiz
Which sentence is correct?