Structure: The Use of Possesive Apostrophe – SS2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

The apostrophe (‘) is used in four ways: to show the genitive (possessive) of nouns and noun phrases, to show the genitive of indefinite pronouns, to mark contractions, and to indicate plurals of numbers, letters, items, figures and cited words. Examples are the girl’s book, nobody’s business and can’t.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• state the uses of the apostrophe in sentences;
• write the genitive form of nouns and noun phrases;
• write the genitive form of indefinite pronouns;
• write common contractions with the apostrophe correctly.

What are the uses of the apostrophe?

1. To indicate the genitive of nouns and noun phrases

The genitive is also the possessive form of a noun. Examples:

1. The girl’s book
2. The girl’s books
3. A child’s toy
4. Dorcas’ money (you pronounce it Dorcas’s money)

Note that the genitive form of a word is the same as the possessive form of that word. If your name is Joan, the genitive form of Joan is Joan’s, while the genitive form of people is people’s.

2. To indicate the genitive of indefinite pronouns

1. This is someone’s child.
2. It is nobody’s business.
3. It is everybody’s business.

3. To mark contractions in words

1. can’t (cannot)
2. won’t (will not)
3. hasn’t (has not)

4. To indicate plurals

The apostrophe is also used to indicate plurals of numbers, letters, items, figures and cited words or expressions.

Evaluation

1. State the four uses of the apostrophe.
2. Write the genitive form of Joan and of people.
3. Write the contracted forms of cannot, will not and has not.
4. Write one sentence each using someone’s, nobody’s and everybody’s.

Assignment

Write two sentences that show the genitive of a noun, two that show the genitive of an indefinite pronoun, and two that use a contraction.

Words for the week

Morass, Abject, Blandish, Duplicity, Ennui, Maudlin, Abscond, Alias, Dither, Emaciated