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Year 3

Apostrophes for plural possession

I can show how an apostrophe works for plural possession.

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New
New
Year 3

Apostrophes for plural possession

I can show how an apostrophe works for plural possession.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. An apostrophe is an important piece of punctuation.
  2. An apostrophe has more than one purpose.
  3. An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another plural noun.
  4. Apostrophes for plural possession are useful to make our meaning clear.
  5. An apostrophe sits at the same height as the ascender of a letter.

Common misconception

Pupils think the apostrophe is placed before the s at the end of the first noun.

Repeat many times that an apostrophe is placed before the s at the end of the first noun only when it is a singular noun owning something. An apostrophe is placed after the s at the end of the first noun when it is a plural noun that owns something.

Keywords

  • Apostrophe for possession - a punctuation mark used to show if a noun belongs to another plural noun

  • Plural - more than one

  • Belong - to be the property of someone or something

Use the 'Grab to Possess' gesture to help pupils see the act of possession. Pull the noun that belongs to your chest whilst simultaneously saying the phrase, e.g. 'the boys' coats'. Say the phrase and on 'coats', pull your arm in to your chest as if you are 'the boys' who own the 'coats'.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Fill in the blank: 'Possessing' is another word for ...
Correct answer: owning
putting
showing
keeping
Q2.
What belongs to Sofia in the following sentence? 'Ms Clarke read Sofia's book at lunch time play.'
Ms Clarke
lunch time
play
Correct answer: book
Q3.
What belongs to Jun in the following sentence? 'Jun's carrier bag was yellow with red stripes and he took it to the supermarket.'
red stripes
supermarket
Correct answer: carrier bag
Q4.
Why is there no s after the apostrophe in the following sentence? 'Mr Douglas' jumper looked very warm.'
Correct answer: The name 'Mr Douglas' ends in the letter s.
The noun 'Mr Douglas' is singular.
Nothing belongs to Mr Douglas.
Q5.
Which pair of words have been contracted with an apostrophe in this example? won't
would not
Correct answer: will not
is not
do not
Q6.
Is the apostrophe signalling contraction or possession in the following sentence? 'I'm definitely coming to the party in the summer!'
Correct Answer: contraction, Contraction

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which is correct for what 'singular' means?
Correct answer: only one
more than one
equal to
Q2.
Which is correct for what 'plural' means?
only one
Correct answer: more than one
equal to
Q3.
Which letter do most (not all) plural nouns end in in English?
Correct Answer: s, S, -s
Q4.
What belongs to Izzy and Aisha in the following sentence? 'Mr Lewis read the girls' poems over his lunch break.'
Mr Lewis
lunch
Correct answer: poems
Q5.
Why is there no s after the apostrophe in the following sentence? 'The boys' coats were strewn across the corridor.'
The noun 'boys' is singular.
Correct answer: The noun 'boys' is plural.
Nothing belongs to the boys in this sentence.
Q6.
Which is the correct version to fill in the blank to show that the pens belong to the girls? The __________ pens were multi-coloured.
Correct answer: girls'
girl's
girls