Correct: He's a United States citizen. even if the hyphens are not explicit, if a group of words are being treated as a compound noun, the possessive is at the end. “The monetary system of the United States” “The education system of the United States” Don’t dare try to make “United States” into a possessive. Canada's resources United States' budget deficit New Orleans' restaurants the Whites' cottage Jones' skates Dickens' writings Create the possessive form of a name, which ends in a silent s, z, or x, by adding 's. Form the possessive singular of nouns with ‘s. The singular forms make the possessive with the addition of an apostrophe and an s (Paris’s, Kansas’s, Cyprus’s, Barbados’s); for nouns with a plural form, add only the apostrophe for the possessive (United States’, Seychelles’, Philippines’). 895. (Add commas if they are needed, be prepared to explain.) Possessive common nouns: the dress’s fabric, the dresses’ fabric. "Newfoundland and Labrador" would not, because the name isn't a plural of one thing. TIL the Supreme Court of the United States is split on whether a possessive singular noun that ends with 's' should always, sometimes, or never have an additional 's' after the apostrophe. aurora's. Correct! The last sound in the plural possessive United States' is pronounced with an /s/ not /z/ sound. This is usually shown with an apostrophe and an 's'. Just add an apostrophe after the final –s {politics’ impact} {the United States’ influence on commerce} {General Motors’ market share}. Write it. ... Plural, and Possessive Nouns 2. Explore possessives grammar rules, and get tips for teaching possessives. Learn how to form possessives in sentences. This fun apostrophe interactive game asks players to decide if a word in a sentence is a plural noun or a possessive noun (requiring an apostrophe) in order to move around the board, racing their partner to the finish line! This resource also includes sentences with plural possessive nouns which could be included or removed as a way of differentiating the game for your kids' abilities. Some people try to make it * General Motors’s cars , but this form is both highly pedantic and alien-looking since the singular proper name General Motors is actually formed from a plural. No one really knows what causes an _____ colorful lights. Incorrect: He's a United States' citizen. Do not use an apostrophe + s to make a regular noun plural; Never use an apostrophe to make a name plural a. For plural names, and some singular names, which end in an s, add only an apostrophe. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. ... States's. "States" is already the plural of "state" (as "Charles" is not the plural of "Charle"), and plurals form their possessive with the simple addition of an apostrophe. Singular, Plural, and Possessive Nouns 2. (Exception: things like headquarters and United States, which are actually plural form, even if they are treated as singular. brother-in-law's ( the plural possessive is brothers-in-law's ) mother-in-law's Commander-in-Chief's. Year 4 Spag - Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns) worksheet This worksheet provides short exercises to practise using apostrophes to show who owns something - plural nouns. Apply the same principle when a plural word occurs in the formal name of a singular entity: General Motors' profits, the United States' wealth. Interestingly, though treated as a singular noun for proper verb usage, "United States" is treated as a plural for possessive purposes. Etymology. In this example, United States is an adjective that modifies citizen and as such should not receive an apostrophe. Note, though, that when a word ending in s is the same in the plural as it is in the singular, you just add an apostrophe: scissors’ blades identity politics’ critics. For example: "The United States' version of events" or "The United States' power" "United States" is a bit informal, so I don't know if there is any hard rule for this kind of situation. Examples of plural hyphenated possessive nouns: six packs’ appeal, water-bottles’ shape, post offices’ hours, bus stops’ repair, changing-rooms’ door, five-year-olds’ excitement, half-sisters’ bedrooms, ex-wives’ alimony, oil spills’ costs, u-boats’ stealth, state governments’ norms, freedom fighters’ sacrifices, etc. When the singular form of a noun ending in s is the same as the plural, form the possessive the usual way, with an apostrophe and s {politics’s true meaning} {economics’s forerunners} {the United States’s role} {Highland Hills’s new mayor}. A possessive noun is a person place or thing that demonstrates ownership. 13 Songs. 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