English Lesson 7 Singular Possessives

An apostrophe has two uses:

1. To show OMISSION

In Lessons 1 and 2 you learned that apostrophes are used to make contractions. Apostrophes are used to indicate one or more missing letters. For example, the word "don't" is short for "do not". Other examples include "he's" for "he is",  "I'll", for " I will" and "can't" for "can not".

A second use for the apostrophe is to show possession.

2. To show POSSESSION

Words that show ownership are called possessive nouns. An apostrophe (') is used to show the ownership.

Practice

Directions:  Underline the word(s) in each sentence which shows ownership.

1. The mouse's name was Tucker.
   Every Saturday night now for almost a year he ad watched Mario tending his father's newsstand.
2. Mario's friend Paul, a conductor on the shuttle, came over to the stand.
3. A shelf ran along one side, and on it were a little secondhand radio, a box of Kleenex (for Mama's hay fever), a box of kitchen matches (for lighting Papa's pipe), a cash register (for money), and an alarm clock (for no good reason at all).
4. Mario's happiness fell in ruins.
5. Mama's voice had a way of sounding very dry when she didn't believe something.

Write plural or possessive after each item below to indicate whether the item is plural or a possessive.

Underline the word or words in each sentence which show(s) ownership. Place apostrophes where they belong in the sentences.

22. Mario decided that there must he something wrong with Chesters diet.
23. The old mans excitement over seeing Mario was clear.
24. The robes embroidery was beautiful with designs of the sun, moon, and stars.
25. Mario was able to eat with chopsticks after Sai Fongs help.
26. The pagoda was just like Chesters cage.
27. The only other sound was the creaking of the rocking chair, which went very well with the crickets song.

In the blank space write the possessive form of the word which is written in parentheses.

28. He said it was like being at the ______________ gardens. (palace)
29. The _______________ handkerchief was made of silk. (gentleman)
30. The mulberry ______________ leaves were hard to find. (tree)

Write a sentence about the Mario. Use the possessive form of the word, Mario.

31. _______________________________________________________________________________
    
    _______________________________________________________________________________

-----------Key-----------

1. The mouse's name was Tucker.
   Every Saturday night now for almost a year he ad watched Mario tending his father's newsstand.
2. Mario's friend Paul, a conductor on the shuttle, came over to the stand.
3. A shelf ran along one side, and on it were a little secondhand radio, a box of Kleenex (for Mama's hay fever), a box of kitchen matches (for lighting Papa's pipe), a cash register (for money), and an alarm clock (for no good reason at all).
4. Mario's happiness fell in ruins.
5. Mama's voice had a way of sounding very dry when she didn't believe something.
6. possessive
7. possessive
8. plural
9. plural
10. possessive
11. plural
12. possessive
13. possessive
14. possessive
15. plural
16. plural
17. plural
18. possessive
19. plural
20. possessive
21. possessive
22. Mario decided that there must he something wrong with Chester's diet.
23. The old man's excitement over seeing Mario was clear.
24. The robe's embroidery was beautiful with designs of the sun, moon, and stars.
25. Mario was able to eat with chopsticks after Sai Fong's help.
26. The pagoda was just like Chester's cage.
27. The only other sound was the creaking of the rocking chair, which went very well with the cricket's song.
28. palace's
29. gentleman's
30. tree's
31. Answers will vary.