Grammar: A2 - ✨ Grammar Essentials: ✏️ Writing Mechanics - Expanding - Lesson 3: Punctuation: Apostrophe for Possession with plural nouns (the students' bags)

Grammar: Plural Possessive Apostrophe

A2 Lesson 18: Using 's and s'

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will know how to use the possessive apostrophe correctly for both regular (ending in -s) and irregular plural nouns.

Showing Ownership for Groups

In the last lesson, we learned how to show ownership for one person (the student's book). Today, we learn the two rules for showing ownership for groups (plural nouns).

Rule 1: Plurals Ending in '-s'

If the plural noun already ends in -s, we only add an apostrophe (') after the s.

Example: The books of the students → the students' books.

Rule 2: Plurals NOT Ending in '-s'

If the plural noun is irregular and does not end in -s, we add an apostrophe + s ('s).

Example: The toys of the children → the children's toys.

The Grammar Rule 📖

Summary of Possessive Rules

Noun	Meaning	Possessive Form	Example
student	One student	student's	The student's uniform is white.
students	Many students	students'	The students' uniforms are white.
child	One child	child's	The child's name is Lina.
children	Many children	children's	The children's names are Lina and Vuthy.

In Conversation

Let's see how these possessives are used when visiting a school.

Visitor: Look at all the motos. Is this the students' parking area?

Guide: Yes, it is. And that building is the teachers' office.

Visitor: What about that playground? Is it for the small kids?

Guide: Yes, that's the children's playground. They love it.

Practice Your Grammar 🎯

Exercise: Choose the Correct Form

Choose the correct possessive word to complete each sentence.

1. My two (sister's / sisters') names are Leakena and Srey Mom.
   → sisters'
2. The (child's / childrens') toy is on the floor.
   → child's
3. Where is the (men's / mens') bathroom?
   → men's
4. All of the (drivers' / driver's) tuk-tuks are parked outside.
   → drivers'

Your Grammar Mission ⭐

Rewrite the Phrases

Rewrite the phrases below to show possession using an apostrophe.

1. the recommendations of the tourists → the tourists' recommendations
2. the classroom for the students → the students' classroom
3. the meeting for the women → the women's meeting
4. the car belonging to my parents → my parents' car

Key Vocabulary

• Plural Noun (Noun) | នាមពហុវចនៈ
  A noun that refers to more than one person or thing.
• Regular Plural (Noun) | ពហុវចនៈធម្មតា
  A plural noun that is formed by adding '-s' or '-es'.
• Irregular Plural (Noun) | ពហុវចនៈមិនទៀងទាត់
  A plural noun that does not follow the normal rules (e.g., child → children).