Which sentence matches the definition?

Learning Objectives Distinguish between apostrophes used for singular possession, plural possession, and contractions in complex sentences. Analyze a definition to identify key elements of ownership (who, what, how many) and select the sentence that grammatically matches. Correctly apply apostrophe rules for singular nouns ending in 's', such as 'James's' or 'the boss's'. Differentiate between joint possession (e.g., 'Nick and Gatsby's party') and separate possession (e.g., 'Nick's and Gatsby's perspectives'). Identify and correct the common confusion between possessive pronouns (its, whose, their) and contractions (it's, who's, they're). Justify their sentence choice by articulating the...

TermDefinitionExample Singular PossessiveShows that one noun owns something. Formed by adding an apostrophe and an 's' ('s) to the singular noun.Gatsby's mansion represents his immense wealth. Plural PossessiveShows that two or more nouns own something. Formed by adding an apostrophe after the 's' (s') if the plural noun ends in 's'.The books' themes were debated by the students. ContractionA shortened form of two words where an apostrophe replaces the omitted letter(s).It's clear that the author is making a point. (It's = It is) Possessive PronounA pronoun that indicates ownership and, crucially, NEVER uses an apostrophe.The novel lost its original cover. (NOT it's) Joint PossessionIndicates that two or more nouns own the s...

The Possession Rule Singular Noun: Add 's (the writer's pen). Plural Noun ending in s: Add ' (the writers' pens). Plural Noun not ending in s: Add 's (the children's books). This is the fundamental rule for showing ownership. The key is to first determine if the owning noun is singular or plural before applying the apostrophe. The Contraction vs. Pronoun Test If you can substitute 'it is' or 'who is', use the contraction (it's, who's). If you are showing ownership, use the possessive pronoun (its, whose). This is the most common apostrophe error in formal writing. Always perform the substitution test in your head: 'The dog wagged it's tail' becomes 'The dog wagged it is tail,' which is incor...