What Are Possessive Nouns? (with Examples)
A possessive noun is a noun indicating ownership (or possession). Here are some examples of possessive nouns (shaded):
- a dog’s bone
- a man’s jacket
- a lion’s mane
The examples above are obviously about possession (i.e., ownership). They refer to the bone of the dog, the jacket of the man, and the mane of the lion.
However, possessive nouns are not always so obviously about possession. Look at these examples of possessive nouns:
- a book’s pages
- a day’s pay
- a week’s worth
- the stone’s throw
Sometimes, possessive nouns are clearly not about possession. Look at these examples:
- The Children’s Minister
(This is a minister for children’s affairs. The minister does not belong to the children.)
- Rembrandt’s paintings
(These are paintings by Rembrandt. He does not own them.)
So, in order to say that possessive nouns indicate possession, you have to have a very broad definition of the word possession.
Using Apostrophes to Form Possessive Nouns
You will notice that all of the examples above end ‘s. However, not all possessive nouns end this way. Here are the basic rules for creating a possessive noun with an apostrophe:
| Type Example Possessive Noun |
| singular noun dog dog’s dinner dog’s dinners |
| plural noun dogs dogs’ dinner dog’s dinners |
| singular noun ending -s Chris Chris’s hat or Chris’ hat |
| plural noun not ending -s people people’s rights |
Possessive Nouns with Inanimate Objects
As you can see from some of the examples above (e.g., a book’s pages, a day’s pay), it is possible for inanimate things (e.g. a book) and even intangible things (e.g. a day) to possess objects from a grammatical perspective. However, be aware that some writers like to shy away from using the possessive form with inanimate objects. In other words, they would prefer:
- The pages of a book
- the nib of a biro.
to:
- A book’s pages
- A biro’s nib
This is one of those times when you can let your instinct guide you. Both versions are acceptable. Choose the one that grates less on your ears.
Also, do not forget that some nouns can be used as adjectives. So, you might not need to make a decision on whether to use of or a possessive noun. For example:
- A car door (best version)
- A door of a car (possible but awkward)
- A car’s door (possible but still awkward)
Possessive Nouns in Time Expressions
Possessive nouns are common in time expressions (or temporal expressions as they’re also known). For example:
- A day’s salary
- Two days’ salary
- Three years’ insurance
- Three years’ insurance
Similarly, possessive nouns are used for other measurements unrelated to time. For example:
- Five dollars’ worth
- A stone’s throw away
Home ⎮ Nouns ⎮ Grammar lessons
AGH / Feb 2020