These PDF worksheets, covering possessive apostrophes with plural words, are an excellent way for children in Y3 and Y4 to revise and practise these spelling patterns.
The worksheets include five different activities in which children look at spelling patterns, identify misspelt words and apply their spellings in context. They can be used within lessons, as an assessment or as a homework task.
This primary resource is divided into five sections:
- Tips
Tick whether the words with apostrophes to show possession are singular or plural
- Check
Circle the phrase that uses an apostrophe to show possession correctly, and place the words into the correct sentences
- Use
Using the images provided, can you write a sentence for each that includes the word ‘lion’s’ and ‘lions’‘?
- Change
Correct the words underlined so that they are punctuated correctly to show plural possession
- Apply
Write a short passage about the image provided. Can you include apostrophes to show plural possession?
What is an apostrophe?
Apostrophes have two completely different uses:
- Apostrophes for contraction: Showing the place of missing letters (eg I’m for I am)
- Apostrophes for possession: Marking possessives (eg Hannah’s mother)
Possessive apostrophe rules
The apostrophe is placed after the plural form of the word; -s is not added if the plural already ends in -s, but is added if the plural does not end in -s (ie is an irregular plural – eg children’s)
Possessive apostrophe examples
Singular possessive apostrophe
- Megan’s book
- Ravi’s bag
- the girl’s hair
- the child’s toy
- the man’s smile
Plural possessive apostrophe
- girls’ school
- boys’ toilets
- babies’ clothes
- children’s games
- men’s ties
- mice’s tails
National Curriculum English programme of study links
Learning the possessive apostrophe (singular) [for example, the girl’s book]
Place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals [for example, girls’, boys’] and in words with irregular plurals [for example, children’s]
Indicating possession by using the possessive apostrophe with plural nouns