Possess Your Possessives

by Beth Ann Erickson  

Sheesh.  Here we go.  One of those pesky grammar rules.  ARUGH! 

Well sit tight.  Don’t worry.  Relax and read on.  It’s not as complicated as you think.  We’ll start with “possessives.”  To possess something is to “own” it.  If someone owns it, you use an apostrophe.  Here’s an example: 

The dog’s collar is blue. 

John’s thumb swelled. 

If more than one “someone” owns it, put your apostrophe AFTER the “s.”  Here’s an example: 

I walked into the teachers’ lounge. 

I read the writers’ handbook. 

If you’re writing about plurals (more than one object,) skip the apostrophe and just add an “s.”  For example: 

The dogs ran. 

His thumbs are big. 

Now… that’s not that complicated, huh?  We’ll dig a little deeper next time. 

Today, read through some of your journal entries.  Look for plurals and possessives.  Make sure you have your apostrophe in the right place.

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Beth Ann Erickson is Queen Bee of Filbert Publishing and the only writing ezine that'll make your writing sparkle, help you write killer queries, and get you on the road to publication fast. Better yet, you'll receive the e-booklet "Power Queries" when you sign up for your free subscription. Subscribe today at http://FilbertPublishing.com

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