Apostrophe

Subscribe to English Grammar Exercises by Email

Apostrophe "'s"  Versus "Of" Explanation

The following explanation is general guidance on how to use apostrophe "s" and the use of "of" as ownership. 

The First noun is a person or an animal

We normally use 's when the first noun is a person or an animal. Let's see the following examples :

1. the Manager's office (not ' the office of the manager')
2. Mr Evans's daughter 
3. the horse's tail
4. a policeman's hat

The First noun is a thing

When the first noun is a thing, we normally use ... of .... Let's see the following example :

1. the door of the room ( not the room's door)
2. the beginning of the story ( not 'the story 's beginning')

The First noun is an organisation

We can usually use 's when the first noun is an  organisation (= a group   

of people).  Let's see the following example :

1. the government's decision       or         the decision of the government
2. the company's Success           or         the success of the company

The First noun is places

We can also use 's with places. Let's see the following example :

1. the city's new train station
2. the world's problem
3. Indonesia's system of government
4. Russia's largest city

After a singular noun versus plural noun

After a singular noun we use 's. After a plural noun (which ends in -s) we use only an apostrophe('). Let's see the following example :

1. my sister's room (one sister)
2. my sisters'room (more than one sister)
3. Mr Brown's house
4. the browns' house (Mr and Mrs Brown)

If a plural noun  does not end in -s, we use 's :

1. a children's book

After more than one noun

We  can also  use 's after more than one noun. Let's see the following example :

1. John and Yoko's wedding    
2. Mr and Mrs Brown's house

After time words

We also use 's after time words, such as tomorrow, today, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc.  Let's see the following examples :

1. Sunday's newspapers
2. Today's meeting
3. a week's honeymoon

Apostrophe "'s" versus "of" exercise

Choose 's or of  to join these following two nouns !

1. the iPad | Jack   ...................................
2. the ears | the dog ................................
3. the top  | the page ..............................
4. the son  | Mr Green ...............................
5. the toys | the children ...........................
6. the newspaper | yesterday ...................
7. the economic policy | the government ......
8. the house | my aunt and uncle ...............
9. the children | Mick and Susan ................
10. the first floor | the building ....................

Answer

1. the iPad | Jack   = Jack's iPad
2. the ears | the dog = the dog's ears
3. the top  | the page = the top of the page
4. the son  | Mr Green = Mr Green's son
5. the toys | the children = the children's toys
6. the newspaper | yesterday = yesterday's newspaper
7. the economic policy | the government = the government's economic policy
8. the house | my aunt and uncle = my aunt and uncle's house
9. the children | Mick and Susan = Mick and Susan's children
10. the first floor | the building = the first floor of the building