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00:00Look at these three short sentences.
00:05John's toll, John's studied, and John's car.
00:12What do they have in common?
00:15Apart from the name John, of course.
00:18They all have an apostrophe S at the end of John.
00:24What does an apostrophe S mean?
00:29The apostrophe plus S has three different meanings in English.
00:38When an apostrophe S is followed by an adjective, like in the first example, John's tall, then the apostrophe S
00:50is a contraction of is.
00:53John's tall is a short way of saying John is tall.
01:02When an apostrophe S is followed by a past participle, like in the second example,
01:09John's studied, then the apostrophe S is a contraction of has.
01:18John's studied is a short way of saying John has studied.
01:28Remember that regular past participles end in ED.
01:33A sentence with has plus past participle is in the present perfect tense.
01:43When an apostrophe S is followed by a noun, like in the last example, John's car,
01:51then the apostrophe S is used to show possession, or that something belongs to someone or something.
02:02We don't say the car of John, as you do in some languages, no.
02:09In English, we use the apostrophe S, so we say John's car, which means that the car belongs to John.
02:22John's, with an apostrophe S, is called a possessive noun.
02:29In this lesson, we are going to look at possessive nouns, and how to use the apostrophe S.
02:39A possessive noun, which contains an apostrophe S, is used to show possession,
02:48or that there is a relationship between two things,
02:52or that something belongs to someone or something.
02:58Look at the example.
03:01Paul's house is very big.
03:05Instead of saying, the house of Paul, in English,
03:09we use the apostrophe S to show that the house belongs to Paul.
03:15Paul's house is very big.
03:20Here are some more examples.
03:25Where is Julie's book?
03:28The book belongs to Julie.
03:31Julie is the owner of the book.
03:34We don't say, the book of Julie.
03:38No, we say, Julie's book.
03:43Do you want to go to Mike's party?
03:46It is the party that Mike is having.
03:51I'm going to meet Susan's parents tonight.
03:57Susan obviously does not own her parents.
04:01The apostrophe S can show a relationship between different people or things.
04:06Here, Susan's parents refers to the parents of Susan.
04:14Paul's, Julie's, Mike's, and Susan's are all possessive nouns.
04:24Now, there are some simple rules about how to use the apostrophe S.
04:30We're going to see those now.
04:35When we have a singular noun,
04:38we just add an apostrophe S,
04:41like we have already seen.
04:43For example,
04:46we went to Ange's house last night.
04:50Ange is a singular noun,
04:54the name of a person.
04:56So we just add an apostrophe S to the end of her name.
05:02Ange's.
05:03Ange's house.
05:06This means the house belongs to Ange.
05:13Is that your friend's bike?
05:17We're talking about one friend.
05:21Friend is a singular noun,
05:23and his or her bike.
05:26The bike that belongs to your friend.
05:30Your friend's bike.
05:35Where is the dog's bone?
05:38Dog is a singular noun,
05:42so we just put apostrophe S after it.
05:48It refers to one dog owning or having one bone.
05:55Let's look at this example.
05:59Where are the dog's bones?
06:04Dog is a singular noun,
06:06so we just add apostrophe S to the end.
06:11The word that comes next
06:13tells us what belongs to the dog.
06:16In this case, bones.
06:18The dog's bones means the bones of the dog.
06:25Dog is singular.
06:28But,
06:30what happens if there is more than one dog?
06:35There are two dogs.
06:39We say,
06:40where are the dog's bones?
06:45We only have an apostrophe
06:48after the S in dogs,
06:51because dogs is a plural noun,
06:55ending in S.
06:57We cannot say,
07:00where are the dog's bones?
07:02No,
07:03this is not correct.
07:05We don't add an extra S after dogs,
07:09because dogs is a plural noun,
07:12ending in S.
07:15Dog's bones,
07:17with only apostrophe after the S,
07:20means,
07:21the bones of the dogs.
07:24Dogs is plural.
07:28In Example 1,
07:31it refers to
07:33one dog and its bones.
07:37In Example 2,
07:40it refers to
07:41two dogs and their bones.
07:45Now listen to the pronunciation
07:48of these two examples again.
07:51Example 1,
07:53where are the dog's bones?
07:56Example 2,
07:57where are the dog's bones?
08:01There is no difference in pronunciation.
08:06So when someone is speaking,
08:08how do we know
08:09if they are talking about
08:11one dog or two dogs?
08:13Well,
08:14it depends on the context.
08:19Let's look at another example.
08:23This is my friend's house.
08:27This refers to the house of my friend,
08:31one friend.
08:33How can we write that my two friends
08:37have a house?
08:47This refers to the house of my friends,
08:52my two friends.
08:54Friends is a plural noun,
08:58ending in S.
09:00So we just add an apostrophe to the end.
09:05We don't say
09:06friend's house,
09:07no.
09:08This is not correct.
09:12So the rule is,
09:15plural nouns ending in S.
09:19We only add the apostrophe to the end,
09:23and not an extra S.
09:26The example we have already seen,
09:30where are the dog's bones?
09:33This is the same as saying,
09:36the bones of the dogs.
09:40Dogs is plural.
09:44You need your parents' permission.
09:49This is the same as saying,
09:52permission from your parents.
09:54Both parents,
09:56not just one parent.
09:59Fortunately,
10:00the girl's toilet was open.
10:04This is the same as saying,
10:06the toilet of the girls.
10:09Or in some countries,
10:10it is called the bathroom,
10:12or restroom,
10:13instead of toilet.
10:17Since dogs,
10:19parents,
10:20and girls
10:21are all plural nouns
10:22that end in S,
10:24we only add an apostrophe,
10:27to the end.
10:31Now,
10:32not all plural nouns
10:34end in S.
10:36For example,
10:38child
10:39is a singular noun.
10:42We can say,
10:43the child's toys
10:45are on the floor.
10:49This refers to the toys
10:51of one child.
10:54How can we say the same thing,
10:57but referring to more than one child?
11:02The plural of child is children.
11:07So our sentence is now,
11:10the children's toys
11:12are on the floor.
11:16Yes,
11:17children
11:17is a plural noun,
11:19but
11:19it does not end in S,
11:22so
11:23we can just
11:24add an apostrophe S
11:25S to the end.
11:28Children's toys
11:29means
11:30the toys
11:31of the children.
11:33Remember,
11:35the plural of child
11:36is
11:37children,
11:39not
11:39children's.
11:41So we add
11:43apostrophe S
11:44to the end.
11:47So the rule is
11:49plural nouns
11:51not ending
11:52in S.
11:53We add
11:54apostrophe S.
11:57Our examples,
11:59the children's
12:00camping trip.
12:02This refers to the
12:04camping trip
12:05of the children.
12:07Child is singular,
12:09the plural of child
12:10is
12:11children.
12:11children.
12:14He always
12:15corrects
12:16people's grammar.
12:18This refers to the
12:20grammar of
12:21different people.
12:22Person
12:23is singular,
12:25the plural of
12:26person
12:26is
12:27people.
12:30So our example
12:32sentence,
12:33the men's
12:34toilet
12:35is
12:35disgusting.
12:37This refers to
12:39the toilet
12:39for the men
12:40or the
12:41toilet that
12:42is used
12:42by men.
12:44Man
12:44is singular,
12:46the plural
12:47of man
12:48is
12:48man.
12:51The fun
12:52part comes
12:53when we have
12:55singular nouns
12:56ending in
12:57S.
12:58For example,
13:00class
13:01is
13:02a singular
13:03noun
13:03ending
13:04in S.
13:06Even
13:07though
13:07it ends
13:08in S,
13:09it is
13:10still
13:10a singular
13:11noun.
13:12So we
13:13add an
13:14apostrophe S
13:15to the
13:15end like
13:16other singular
13:17nouns.
13:19For example,
13:21the class's
13:22project.
13:24This means
13:25the project
13:25of the
13:26class.
13:27The entire
13:28class had
13:29one project
13:30to do
13:31together.
13:32Class
13:33is a
13:34singular
13:34noun.
13:36Did you
13:38hear how
13:39I added
13:40a final
13:41IS
13:42syllable
13:42to the
13:43end?
13:44Classes,
13:46the
13:47class's
13:47project.
13:49This
13:50extra
13:51syllable
13:51is added
13:53to singular
13:54nouns
13:54ending in
13:55S
13:55when we
13:56have
13:56added
13:57the
13:57apostrophe
13:58S.
14:00But what
14:01happens
14:02when we
14:03are talking
14:03about
14:04two
14:04classes?
14:06The
14:07plural
14:08form of
14:08class
14:09is
14:09classes.
14:12How
14:13would we
14:14write the
14:14sentence
14:15now
14:15if we
14:16are talking
14:16about
14:17the
14:17projects
14:17of
14:18both
14:18classes?
14:23We
14:24would
14:24say
14:24the
14:25classes
14:26projects.
14:29We
14:30just
14:30add
14:31an
14:31apostrophe
14:32to the
14:32end
14:33because
14:33classes
14:34is
14:35a plural
14:36noun
14:37ending
14:37in S.
14:39And
14:39this
14:40refers
14:40to
14:40the
14:41projects
14:41of
14:42the
14:42classes,
14:43the
14:43different
14:43classes.
14:45Also
14:46note
14:47that we
14:47don't
14:48say
14:48classes
14:49S
14:49now.
14:51It
14:51is a
14:52plural
14:52noun
14:52that
14:53ends
14:53in S
14:53so
14:54we
14:55just
14:55add
14:56the
14:56apostrophe.
14:59Now
15:00listen to
15:01the
15:01pronunciation
15:02of both
15:03sentences
15:04again.
15:06One
15:06the
15:07classes
15:08project
15:09Two
15:10the
15:12classes
15:12projects
15:13In
15:15both
15:15sentences
15:16classes
15:17and
15:18classes
15:18are
15:19pronounced
15:20the
15:20same
15:20but
15:21they're
15:22written
15:22differently.
15:24The
15:25context
15:25of what
15:26we're
15:26talking
15:27about
15:27usually
15:28tells
15:28us
15:29if we're
15:30talking
15:30about
15:30one
15:31class
15:31or
15:32two
15:32classes.
15:35So
15:36the rule
15:37is
15:38singular
15:39nouns
15:39ending
15:40in S.
15:41We
15:42add
15:43apostrophe
15:44S.
15:45Our
15:46examples
15:47The
15:48class's
15:49teacher
15:49is
15:50nice.
15:52This
15:52refers
15:53to the
15:53teacher
15:53of
15:54the
15:54class.
15:56The
15:57princess's
15:58dress
15:59is
15:59pink.
16:01This
16:02refers
16:02to the
16:03dress
16:03of
16:04the
16:04princess.
16:06The
16:07final
16:07example
16:08My
16:09boss's
16:09office
16:10is
16:11big.
16:12This
16:13refers
16:13to
16:14the
16:14office
16:14of
16:15my
16:15boss.
16:17All
16:18of
16:18these
16:19nouns
16:19class,
16:20princess
16:21and
16:21boss
16:22end
16:22in S
16:23but
16:24they're
16:25singular
16:25nouns
16:26so
16:26we
16:27just
16:27add
16:27the
16:28apostrophe
16:28S
16:29at
16:29the
16:29end.
16:31How
16:32about
16:32with
16:33the
16:33names
16:33of
16:33people
16:34that
16:34end
16:35in
16:35S
16:35like
16:36James
16:37or
16:38Lewis
16:38or
16:38Jones?
16:41Grammarians
16:42are
16:43divided
16:44between
16:44adding
16:45an
16:45apostrophe
16:46S
16:46or
16:47only
16:48the
16:48apostrophe.
16:49You
16:50may
16:51see
16:51it
16:51written
16:52in
16:52the
16:52following
16:53ways
16:54James's
16:56dog
16:56is
16:56hungry
16:57with
16:58an
16:59apostrophe
16:59plus
17:00S
17:00or
17:01James's
17:02dog
17:03is
17:03hungry
17:04only
17:05with
17:06an
17:06apostrophe.
17:08Both
17:09forms
17:09are
17:10considered
17:11correct
17:11though
17:12the
17:12first
17:13one
17:13seems
17:14more
17:14common.
17:16My
17:17personal
17:17preference
17:18is
17:18using
17:19apostrophe
17:20S
17:21as in
17:21the
17:21first
17:22example
17:22because
17:23in
17:24spoken
17:24English
17:25we
17:25add
17:26the
17:26additional
17:26syllable
17:27of
17:27is
17:28at
17:29the
17:29end
17:29like
17:30James
17:30is
17:31James's
17:32dog
17:33is
17:34hungry.
17:37But
17:37with
17:39classical
17:39or
17:40religious
17:40names
17:41ending
17:41in
17:41S
17:42we
17:43only
17:44add
17:44an
17:45apostrophe.
17:48Sophocles'
17:49plays
17:49are still
17:51performed
17:52today.
17:54Hercules'
17:56strength
17:56seemed
17:57unlimited.
18:01When we
18:02are talking
18:02about
18:03two
18:04or more
18:04people
18:05we
18:06add
18:07an
18:07apostrophe
18:07S
18:08or
18:09only
18:10an
18:10apostrophe
18:10depending
18:11on the
18:12rules
18:12we have
18:13already
18:13seen.
18:15Let's
18:16look at
18:17Stacy
18:17and
18:18Steve.
18:20If
18:21there
18:22are two
18:22owners of
18:23something
18:24we
18:25only
18:25add
18:26apostrophe
18:27S
18:27to
18:28the
18:28final
18:29name.
18:30For
18:30example
18:31Stacy
18:32and
18:33Steve's
18:33car
18:34is
18:35old.
18:36Both
18:38Stacy
18:38and
18:39Steve
18:40are
18:41joint
18:41owners
18:42of
18:42the
18:42same
18:42car
18:43so
18:44we
18:44only
18:44add
18:45apostrophe
18:46S
18:46to
18:47the
18:47final
18:47name.
18:48In
18:48this
18:48case
18:49Steve.
18:51Stacy
18:51and
18:52Steve's
18:53car
18:53is
18:54old.
18:57But
18:58what
18:58happens
18:59if
18:59each
19:00person
19:00owns
19:01a
19:01car?
19:03Both
19:03Stacy
19:04owns
19:04a
19:05car
19:05and
19:06Steve
19:06owns
19:07a
19:07car
19:07and
19:08both
19:08cars
19:09are
19:10old.
19:11In
19:12this
19:12situation
19:13we
19:14add
19:14apostrophe
19:15S
19:15to
19:16both
19:16names.
19:18Stacy's
19:19and
19:20Steve's
19:20cars
19:21are
19:22old.
19:24This
19:25way
19:25we
19:25see
19:26there
19:26are
19:26two
19:27owners
19:28of
19:28two
19:28different
19:29cars.
19:31Notice
19:31how
19:32the
19:32verb
19:33is
19:33in
19:33the
19:33plural
19:34form
19:34because
19:34we're
19:35talking
19:35about
19:36more
19:36than
19:37one
19:37car.
19:40Usually
19:41we
19:42don't
19:42put
19:42the
19:43noun
19:43or
19:43object
19:44or
19:44thing
19:44after
19:45the
19:46apostrophe
19:46S
19:47to
19:47avoid
19:48repetition
19:49especially
19:50when
19:51the
19:51meaning
19:51is
19:52clear.
19:54My
19:55car
19:55is
19:56older
19:56than
19:57John's.
19:58This
19:59is the
20:00same
20:01as
20:01saying
20:01my
20:02car
20:03is
20:03older
20:04than
20:04John's
20:05car.
20:06The
20:07word
20:07car
20:08at the
20:08end
20:08is not
20:09necessary
20:10as it
20:10sounds
20:11repetitive.
20:12So
20:13when
20:13we
20:14say
20:14my
20:15car
20:15is
20:16older
20:16than
20:16John's
20:17the
20:18meaning
20:18is
20:19clear
20:19as
20:19we
20:20already
20:20know
20:21we're
20:21talking
20:21about
20:22cars
20:22as
20:23it
20:23was
20:23mentioned
20:24before.
20:25The
20:26same
20:26applies
20:27when
20:28answering
20:28a
20:28question.
20:31Someone
20:31asks
20:32whose
20:33umbrella
20:34is
20:35this?
20:36And
20:37another
20:37person
20:37responds
20:38it
20:39is
20:39Mary's.
20:41We
20:42don't
20:42need
20:42to
20:43say
20:43it
20:44is
20:44Mary's
20:44umbrella
20:45because
20:46it
20:47is
20:47obvious
20:47we're
20:48talking
20:48about
20:48the
20:49same
20:49umbrella
20:50the
20:50meaning
20:50is
20:51clear.
20:52If
20:53you
20:53hear
20:53this
20:53whose
20:54umbrella
20:55is
20:55this?
20:56It
20:56is
20:56Mary's
20:57umbrella.
20:58Saying
20:58umbrella
20:59again
20:59is not
21:00necessary
21:01and
21:01sounds
21:01repetitive.
21:03Just
21:03say
21:03it
21:04is
21:04Mary's.
21:06A
21:07couple
21:08more
21:08examples.
21:10Whose
21:11are
21:11these
21:12shoes?
21:14They
21:14are
21:14my
21:15brother's.
21:17shoes.
21:17is
21:18the
21:18same
21:18as
21:19saying
21:19my
21:20brother's
21:20shoes
21:21but
21:22without
21:22sounding
21:23repetitive.
21:26That
21:26is a
21:27beautiful
21:27dress.
21:28Is
21:29it
21:29your
21:29sister's?
21:30Means
21:31is
21:32it
21:32your
21:32sister's
21:33dress?
21:33Because
21:33obviously
21:34you don't
21:34have any
21:35beautiful
21:35dresses
21:36so it
21:36could
21:36only be
21:37your
21:37sister's
21:38dress.
21:38the
21:40apostrophe
21:41s
21:42can
21:43also
21:43be
21:43used
21:44with
21:44time
21:45periods.
21:47Had
21:48you
21:48seen
21:48today's
21:49newspaper?
21:52This
21:53morning's
21:54meeting
21:54was
21:55boring.
21:57Last
21:59year's
21:59profits
22:00increased
22:00significantly.
22:03But
22:04be
22:05careful.
22:07We do
22:08not
22:08use
22:09an
22:09apostrophe
22:10with
22:10decades
22:11or
22:12years.
22:14A
22:15lot of
22:16great
22:16music
22:16was
22:17created
22:18in the
22:1880s.
22:20No
22:21apostrophe
22:22between
22:22the number
22:23and the
22:23s.
22:26The
22:27hippie
22:27movement
22:27began
22:28in the
22:281960s.
22:30Again
22:31there is
22:32no
22:32apostrophe.
22:35We
22:36also
22:37do
22:37not
22:38use
22:38an
22:39apostrophe
22:39s
22:40as
22:40the
22:40plural
22:41form
22:41of
22:42an
22:42acronym.
22:44There
22:45have
22:45been
22:45many
22:46sightings
22:47of
22:47UFOs
22:48in
22:48the
22:48area.
22:50There's
22:50no
22:50apostrophe
22:51after
22:52UFO
22:52and
22:53before
22:54the
22:54s.
22:57He
22:57has
22:57just
22:58sold
22:58all
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22:59DVDs.
23:01Again
23:02no
23:02apostrophe.
23:05I
23:05hope
23:06you
23:06found
23:06this
23:06lesson
23:07useful.
23:08If
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23:09remember
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23:12our
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23:18Have
23:19an
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