What Are Possessive Nouns? Examples, Definition & Types

Introduction

How do you exhibit the possession of something? To fulfil this purpose, possessive nouns are used. For instance, to precisely convey that the mobile phone belongs to Rohan, the phrase should be Rohan’s mobile phone. These types of nouns are utilized to a great extent in daily practice.

However, there are confusions regarding its usability and how to form it. The primary objective of possessive nouns is to indicate ownership of certain things.

What is a Possessive Noun?

A possessive noun can be defined as a particular type of noun which displays ownership or possession of definite things. The noun becomes possessive with the addition of an apostrophe and the suffix letter “S” at the end of the noun.

Moreover, if the noun is already plural and ends with “S” then only add an apostrophe at the end of the noun to make it possessive.

Example 1 − My daughter’s school bus just arrived at the place.

Example 2 − Two years’ experience is not enough to carry out this task.

Types of Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns are not as simple as they may look. They come in different types based on the requirements to craft the statement. Below mentioned are the well-known types of possessive nouns.

Singular Possessive Noun

This type of noun displays the ownership of a single person or thing. By adding an apostrophe at the end of the noun, a singular possessive noun can be formatted.

Example 1 − Mahima’s uncle scolded her for being rude to an elderly lady.

Example 2 − It was not in the painter’s hands to improve the blunder.

Example 3 − There is no easy way to understand God’s will.

Plural Possessive Noun

Plural possessive nouns are used to exhibit ownership or possession by multiple persons or things. This type of noun can be formatted by only adding an apostrophe at the end of a plural noun that already ends with S.

Example 1 − Dogs’ food should arrive at any moment.

Example 2 − I did not like the water bottles’ design.

Example 3 − The fully furnished houses’ management was not up to the mark.

Irregular Possessive Noun

It is the type of noun which changes its spelling in the plural form. Irregular possessive nouns are always plural nouns. It follows the same rule as a singular possessive noun which means you need to put an apostrophe and add “S” at the end of the noun to make it an irregular possessive noun.

Example 1 − Women’s rights are the trending topic of discussion this year.

Example 2 − It was apparent that children’s day out did not reap any benefits.

Example 3 − Minakshi wanted to maintain her teeth's sturdiness.

Multiple Possessive Nouns

When multiple persons or things have the ownership of a particular thing then multiple possessive nouns are used. The rule to form this type of noun is to add apostrophe and “S” only at the end of one noun in the group of nouns.

Example 1 − Mihit and Suresh’s clothes were wet due to rain.

Example 2 − The manager and the team’s performance were declining with each passing day.

Example 3 − Ram, Sita, and Lakshman’s journey began in highly unfavorable circumstances.

Compound Possessive Noun

Generally, compound nouns are the type of noun that joins two or more nouns with or without the hyphen. To form a compound possessive noun, add an apostrophe at the end of the compound noun and put an “S” at the end.

Example 1 − The dining table’s placement was wrong according to my mother.

Example 2 − My mother-in-law’s strict behavior was astonishing.

Example 3 − The swimming pool’s water was extremely cold.

A few examples of possessive nouns are -

• The cupboard’s colour was not matching the decor of the bedroom.

• Harnisha's knowledge was exponential in the marketing domain.

• We needed to visit the fresh seller's farm before the afternoon.

• Krina and Manisha’s look was based on the ’90s Bollywood retro theme.

• The scientists’ efforts finally made the Mangal mission possible.

• The deer’s appearance was very surprising for everyone.

• Isn’t it fascinating how drastically Mahima’s behavior changed?

• Why do you need Haresh’s expertise for developing your skill set?

• Tom and Jerry’s adventure tales are amazing.

• The owner’s demands were very confusing and misleading.

FAQs

Qns. 1. What is a possessive noun?

Ans. Possessive noun means the noun which is utilized for showcasing the ownership of certain things. It is important to indicate the possession. For example, to answer the question, whose laptop is this? The possessive noun will be used and the answer will be this is Kinnari’s laptop.

Qns 2. What are the different types of possessive nouns?

Ans. Possessive nouns can be divided into 5 types: singular possessive nouns, plural possessive nouns, irregular possessive nouns, multiple possessive nouns, and compound possessive nouns.

Qns 3. What is the rule to make a singular possessive noun?

To convert the noun into a singular possessive noun, add an apostrophe and an “S” at the end of the noun. For example, the creator’s picture.

4. Which things should be considered while forming a plural possessive noun?

Ans. Mainly, two things should be considered while making plural possessive nouns −

• Do not put an “S” at the end of a plural noun already ending with an “S”.

• Add an apostrophe at the end of the plural noun. (Cats’ owner)

Qns 5. What are the examples of possessive nouns?

Ans. Below-mentioned are the examples of possessive nouns −

• Mahesh’s backpack

• Lunch boxes’ food

• Girl and boy’s school uniform

• Daughter-in-law’s picture

• Men’s perfume

Qns 6. What is the purpose of a possessive noun?

Ans. The integral purpose of a possessive noun is to add ownership or possession to a certain noun through apostrophe and an “S”. It makes the sentence simpler and concise by shortening its length.

Qns 7. How compound possessive noun is formed?

Ans. The compound possessive nouns are crafted by putting an apostrophe and an “S” at the end of the compound noun. For example, the sofa set's finishing cloth.