Possessive Noun | Defination, Examples, Exercises & Worksheet

Hello children! Today we are going to learn about a special type of noun called possessive nouns. These nouns help us show ownership or belonging. Here, we will see what is a possessive nouns with examples to define possessive nouns. In the end, we have also provided you with some exercises and worksheets to practice and test your knowledge.

Define Possessive Noun

A possessive nouns is a noun that shows ownership or possession. This means it tells us to whom something belongs. For example, in the phrase “Sarah’s book,” the possessive noun “Sarah’s” indicates that the book belongs to Sarah.

What is a Possessive Noun?

Possessive nouns can be singular or plural. When we want to show that one person or thing owns something, we use a singular possessive noun. For example, “the dog’s bone” shows that the bone belongs to one dog.

When we want to show that multiple people or things own something, we use a plural possessive noun. For example, “the dogs’ park” shows that the park belongs to more than one dog.

What are 10 Examples of Possessive Nouns?

Here are 10 examples of possessive nouns:

1. The cat’s toy (singular)
2. The teacher’s desk (singular)
3. The children’s playground (plural)
4. The girls’ dresses (plural)
5. The car’s engine (singular)
6. The students’ books (plural)
7. The dog’s leash (singular)
8. The parents’ house (plural)
9. The doctor’s appointment (singular)
10. The athletes’ uniforms (plural)

How to Form Possessive Noun

To form a possessive noun, you need to add an apostrophe followed by an “s” for singular nouns (e.g., the girl’s hat). For plural nouns that already end in “s,” you simply add an apostrophe after the “s” (e.g., the girls’ room). If the plural noun does not end in “s,” you add an apostrophe and “s” (e.g., the men’s club).

Possessive Noun Singular and Plural

1. Singular Possessive: Indicates ownership by one person or thing.
   • Example: The boy’s bicycle (one boy)
2. Plural Possessive: Indicates ownership by multiple people or things.
   • Example: The boys’ bicycles (more than one boy)

Compound Possessive

Compound possessive refers to the ownership expressed by more than one noun combined together to show that they share possession of something. This means that multiple subjects are connected, and the possession is denoted by a singular or plural possessive form depending on the context.

How to Form Compound Possessives

1. When individuals own something together
   Example: Jack and Jill’s bucket (Jack and Jill share one bucket.)
2. When each person owns something individually
   Example: Jack’s and Jill’s buckets (Jack has one bucket, and Jill has another bucket.)

Examples of Compound Possessive

1. Emma and Sam’s project: This indicates that Emma and Sam worked together on one project.
2. Mom and Dad’s car: This shows that the car belongs to both Mom and Dad.
3. Tom and Jerry’s adventures: This refers to the adventures that both Tom and Jerry share together.
4. The teacher’s and the student’s assignments: This indicates that both the teacher has an assignment and the student has their own assignment.
5. The Smiths’ house: This shows that the house belongs to the Smith family.

Using “of” To Show Possession

Using “of” to show possession is a common grammatical structure in English. This construction is used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, and it can be particularly helpful when dealing with phrases where possessive nouns might feel awkward or cumbersome.

Structure

The phrase usually follows this format:
Noun + of + Possessor

Examples:

1. The legs of the table: This indicates that the legs belong to the table.
2. The cover of the book: This shows that the cover is part of the book.
3. The name of the school: This indicates that the name belongs to the school.
4. The color of the car: This shows that the color is a characteristic of the car.
5. The sound of the music: This indicates that the sound is produced by the music.

When to Use “of” for Possession

1. When dealing with inanimate objects
   Example: The wheels of the bicycle instead of the bicycle’s wheels.
2. In formal or literary contexts
   Example: The works of Shakespeare instead of Shakespeare’s works.
3. When showing relationships between people
   Example: The brother of my friend instead of my friend’s brother.

Possessive Noun Exercises

Exercise 1: Read the sentences and identify the possessive nouns.

1. The cat’s ball rolled under the couch.
2. The children’s laughter filled the room.
3. The dog’s collar was found in the yard.

Answers:

1. The cat’s ball—possessive noun: cat’s
2. The children’s laughter—a possessive noun: children’s
3. The dog’s collar—a possessive noun: dog’s

Exercise 2: Use the correct form of the possessive noun to complete the sentences.

1. That is _________ (the teacher) book.
2. The _________ (the girls) playground is fun.
3. We visited _________ (the family) house.

Answers:

1. the teacher’s
2. girls’
3. the family’s

Exercise 3: Change the following phrases into possessive nouns.

1. The toys of the children → ________
2. The car of John → ________
3. The hats of the girls → ________

Answers:

1. children’s toys
2. John’s car
3. girls’ hats

Possessive Nouns Worksheet

1. What is a possessive noun?
   a) A noun that describes an action
   b) A noun that shows ownership
   c) A noun that names a place
   d) A noun that modifies another noun
2. True or False: A possessive noun can only be singular.
3. In the phrase “Mark and Anna’s picnic,” is it indicating shared or individual ownership?a) Shared
   b) Individual
4. Give an example of a plural possessive noun.
5. Match the singular noun with its correct possessive form:
   

   a) The boy	i) boys’
   b) The cat	ii) teacher’s
   c) The teacher	iii) cat’s
   d) The children	iv) children’s

6. Circle the possessive nouns in the following sentence:
   “The dog’s leash was left at the children’s playground.”
7. The __________ (parent) meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.
8. Write a sentence using the possessive noun “mother’s.”
9. Change the possessive forms to use “of” to indicate possession.
   1. The cat’s toy → __________
   2. My sister’s dress → __________
   3. The teacher’s classroom → __________
   4. The president’s speech → __________
   5. The company’s profits → __________
10. What do you add to a plural noun that ends in “s” to make it possessive?

Also Read:

• What is Proper Noun with Examples, Exercise, and Activity Sheet
• What is Common Noun Examples, Sample, and Worksheet
• Common and Proper Nouns: Difference With Examples