What are Possessive Nouns? Detailed knowledge about Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns are an important aspect of the noun topic. What are possessive nouns? How are possessive nouns used in English? Let's explore this together with PREP below!

I. What are Possessive Nouns?

A possessive noun is a type of noun used to indicate ownership or the relationship between two nouns, where one noun denotes the ownership or relationship to the other noun. In English, possessive nouns are typically formed by adding an apostrophe and the letter "s" ('s) to the end of the noun. Here are some Possessive Nouns examples:

• This is John's book. 

• This is Sarah's car. 

II. Functions and Roles of Possessive Nouns

The main function of a possessive noun is to clarify the dependent or ownership relationship among the objects in a sentence. The possessive noun usually appears before the noun or noun phrase to modify it. For example:

• These are the students' books.

• I don’t like the company's new policy. 

III. Formulas and Usage of Possessive Nouns

How are possessive nouns formed in English? Let’s find out together with PREP below!

1. Using ’s

• We add 's to singular nouns or proper nouns that do not end in -s to indicate possession. For example:

  • They are having a party at John's house. 

  • Alex drove his friend's car. 

• We add ' to plural nouns that end in -s. For example:

  • This is my grandparents' house. 

  • Those are ladies' shoes.

• We use 's with irregular plural nouns. For example:

  • These are women's shoes. 

  • Children's clothes are very cheap.

2. Using with the Preposition “of”

Possessive nouns can also be used with the preposition "of" in English, but this usage is generally less common. For example:

• When the possessive noun is not a person. For example:

  • The cover of the book is very pretty. 

  • The museum is at the end of the road.  

• When you want to emphasize a specific aspect of ownership. For example:

  • The reputation of the company is so good. 

  • I agree with the decision of the board.

IV. Types of Possessive Nouns in English

Before practicing possessive of nouns exercises, let's explore possessive nouns list in English with PREP below!

1. Simple possessive nouns

Simple possessive nouns are formed by adding an apostrophe (’) and the letter "s" to the end of a noun to indicate possession. This is a common way to express that a person or thing owns something.

Examples of simple possessive nouns:

• Tom’s car is parked outside.

• The teacher’s desk is in the corner of the classroom.

2. Compound possessive nouns

Compound possessive nouns are used when two or more people own the same object. In this case, the apostrophe and "s" are only added to the last noun.

Examples of compound possessive nouns:

• Tom and Jerry’s show is very popular.

• We visited John and Mary’s house last weekend.

3. Indefinite possessive nouns

Indefinite possessive nouns are used when the owner is not clearly or specifically defined. They often appear in sentences with indefinite pronouns such as "someone," "anybody," or "nobody" to indicate unclear ownership.

Examples of indefinite possessive nouns:

• Someone’s keys were left on the counter.

• Anybody’s opinion is welcome in this discussion.

V. Notes on Using Possessive Nouns

Let's explore some important notes on using possessive nouns with PREP!

• Do not use articles (a/an/the) with possessive nouns. For example:

  • The company’s new contract. ✅

  • The company’s the new contract. ❌

• When there are two or more nouns in a sentence that jointly own a single object, the possessive form should only be used for the last noun. For example:

  • Jim and Charlotte’s dad is an electrical engineer. ✅

  • Jim’s and Charlotte dad is an electrical engineer. ❌

• When there are two or more nouns in a sentence that own separate objects, the possessive form should be used for each possessive noun. For example:

  • Jenny’s and Kim’s midterm scores were both impressive. ✅

  • Jenny and Kim’s midterm scores were both impressive. ❌

VI. Possessive Nouns exercises with answers

To better understand how to use possessive nouns in English, let’s complete the exercises with Possessive Nouns below with PREP!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the possessive nouns.

1. This is __________ (Mary) bag. It's very stylish.

2. I visited __________ (John) house yesterday.

3. The kids enjoyed __________ (teacher) lesson very much.

4. We are planning to attend __________ (company) annual meeting next week.

5. The color of __________ (the car) is stunning.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences using possessive nouns.

1. Dorothy will be the singer at the concert tomorrow.

2. Cracks in the roof will cause rainwater to flow into the house.

3. The buttons on the vest make the outfit impressive.

4. Martha has a farm that is currently in the harvest season.

5. The land that Aurora owns costs up to 1 million dollars.

2. Answer keys

In this article, PREP has detailed all the concepts, usages, and common types of possessive nouns. Keep following PREP for more valuable English knowledge!