Year 3 English: Apostrophes for one owner
Part of the Year 3 English punctuation chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Apostrophes for one owner
An apostrophe can show that one owner has something. Add an apostrophe and s to the owner. The apostrophe goes before the s.
The dog's bone is the bone that belongs to one dog. Sam's hat is the hat that belongs to Sam.
| Words | Owner | With apostrophe |
|---|---|---|
| the bone of the dog | one dog | the dog's bone |
| the hat of Sam | Sam | Sam's hat |
| the book of the teacher | one teacher | the teacher's book |
| the kite of the boy | one boy | the boy's kite |
Key ideas
- An apostrophe and s show that one owner has the thing.
- The apostrophe goes before the s: the dog's bone.
- Write the owner first, then the thing.
- Do not add an apostrophe to a word that only means more than one, such as cats.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.the dog
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the bone
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.the dog's bone
- Write the answer. the dog's bone
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: the dog's bone. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.Sam
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the hat
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.Sam's hat
- Write the answer. Sam's hat
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: Sam's hat. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Ask how many owners there are, then put the apostrophe in the right place.
- Think about how many owners there are. The meaning is: one cat.one cat
- Choose the word with the apostrophe in the right place. One owner: the apostrophe goes before the s. More than one owner that ends in s: the apostrophe goes after the s.the cat's tail
- Write the answer. the cat's tail
Check. the cat's tail shows the owner correctly. ✓
Watch out. Ask how many owners there are first.
Watch out
Watch out: cats means more than one cat. The cat's tail means the tail of one cat. Ask how many owners there are before you add the apostrophe.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: whose is it? Let your child answer with the owner, then add 's: the dog's bone.
Exercise 5F Practice: an apostrophe for one owner
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.the cat
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the tail
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.the cat's tail
- Write the answer. the cat's tail
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: the cat's tail. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.the boy
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the coat
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.the boy's coat
- Write the answer. the boy's coat
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: the boy's coat. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.Ruby
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the ball
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.Ruby's ball
- Write the answer. Ruby's ball
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: Ruby's ball. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.Mum
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the bike
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.Mum's bike
- Write the answer. Mum's bike
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: Mum's bike. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.the bird
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the nest
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.the bird's nest
- Write the answer. the bird's nest
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: the bird's nest. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Ask how many owners there are, then put the apostrophe in the right place.
- Think about how many owners there are. The meaning is: one fox.one fox
- Choose the word with the apostrophe in the right place. One owner: the apostrophe goes before the s. More than one owner that ends in s: the apostrophe goes after the s.the fox's den
- Write the answer. the fox's den
Check. the fox's den shows the owner correctly. ✓
Watch out. Ask how many owners there are first.
Method. One dog owns the ball, so the owner needs an apostrophe and s.
- Find the owner. One dog owns the ball.the dog
- Add the apostrophe. One owner: the apostrophe goes before the s.dog's ball
- Check the capital letter. The sentence starts with a capital letter.The dog's ball was red.
- Write the answer. The dog's ball was red.
Check. One dog owns the ball. ✓
Watch out. Write dog's for one dog, and dogs for more than one.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.Leo
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the hat
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.Leo's hat
- Write the answer. Leo's hat
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: Leo's hat. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. Put the owner first, then the thing, and add the apostrophe to the owner.
- Find the owner. The owner is the one who has the thing.the baby
- Find the thing that is owned. The thing belongs to the owner.the toy
- Add the apostrophe to the owner. One owner, so add apostrophe and s after the owner.the baby's toy
- Write the answer. the baby's toy
Check. The owner comes first, with the apostrophe: the baby's toy. ✓
Watch out. Put the apostrophe before the s for one owner: the dog's bone, not the dogs bone.
Method. One fisherman owns the boat.
- Find the owner. One fisherman owns the boat.the fisherman
- Write the owner with an apostrophe and s. The owner is one person, so add apostrophe and s.fisherman's boat
- Add a capital letter at the start. The sentence starts with a capital letter.The fisherman's boat is green.
- Write the answer. The fisherman's boat is green.
Check. Read it aloud: The fisherman's boat is green. ✓
Watch out. Keep the owner first, then the thing.
Method. Check whether one owner has the book.
- Find the owner. Ruby owns the book, and she is one girl.Ruby
- Check the apostrophe. One owner needs an apostrophe and s.Ruby's book
- Write the answer. Yes. One girl, Ruby, owns the book, so her name needs an apostrophe and s.
Check. Ruby's book: one owner. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: Yes, Ruby is one owner, so the apostrophe and s are right.