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English Grammar Drills

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Nouns 15<br />

that the -s’ with these nouns is what makes them plural. What actually makes them plural is the<br />

change in their vowels or ending. We must use ’s because we are only making these nouns (which<br />

already happen to be plural nouns) into possessive nouns.<br />

A much better way to think of plural and possessive -s is given below. There are three types<br />

of -s endings:<br />

Plural only Possessive only Plural possessive<br />

-s -’s -s’<br />

The -’s tells us is that whatever noun the -’s is attached to is now possessive. If -’s is attached to a<br />

singular noun (as is usually the case), then that noun has become a singular possessive noun. If<br />

-’s is attached to an irregular plural noun, then that noun has becomes a plural possessive noun.<br />

This analysis will help you to always use the right form for both regular and irregular nouns.<br />

One of the nice things about writing the different forms of the possessive -’s is that the spelling<br />

is completely regular. For example, here is how we spell the possessive forms of irregular<br />

nouns that change f to v in the plural:<br />

Singular:<br />

wolf<br />

Possessive: wolf’s (note that the f does not change to v)<br />

Plural:<br />

wolves<br />

Plural possessive: wolves’<br />

Here is how we spell the possessives of nouns ending in consonant y:<br />

Singular:<br />

Possessive:<br />

Plural:<br />

Plural possessive:<br />

spy<br />

spy’s<br />

spies<br />

spies’<br />

Notice that the plural spies is spelled differently than the possessive singular spy’s. In the singular<br />

possessive, the y does not change to i and we do not add -es. We just add the normal -’s.<br />

Here is how we spell the possessive nouns ending in vowel y:<br />

Singular:<br />

Possessive:<br />

Plural:<br />

Plural possessive:<br />

boy<br />

boy’s<br />

boys<br />

boys’<br />

Remember, the y is part of the spelling of the vowel and therefore nothing happens to it.

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