Shared and separate possession with apostrophes

The idea

For joint possession, add ’s only to the last owner: Mia and Noah’s kitchen. For separate possession, mark each owner: Mia’s and Noah’s kitchens. A regular plural ending in s takes only an apostrophe: neighbours’.

Examples

• Mia and Noah’s kitchen is bright.
• Mia’s and Noah’s kitchens are bright.
• Ava and Ben’s dog sleeps by the door.
• Ava’s and Ben’s dogs play together.
• Our neighbours’ and our teacher’s bicycles are outside.
• The chef and the baker’s new café opens today.

Watch out

Do not mark both names when you mean one shared object: Mia’s and Noah’s kitchen suggests separate possession and is awkward with a singular noun.

Try it yourself

1. Ana and Leo share one room. Choose the correct option. One room belongs to both Ana and Leo. Choose: ___ room. (Ana and Leo’s / Ana’s and Leo’s)

   Show answer or example answer

   Ana and Leo’s

   Ana and Leo’s identifies one room they share.

2. Kim and Raj each have a coat. Choose the correct option. Each of Kim and Raj has a coat. Choose: ___ coats. (Kim and Raj’s / Kim’s and Raj’s)

   Show answer or example answer

   Kim’s and Raj’s

   Kim’s and Raj’s shows that each person has a coat.

3. The doctor and the artist share one garden. Choose the correct option. One garden belongs to both the doctor and the artist. Choose: ___ garden. (the doctor and the artist’s / the doctor’s and the artist’s)

   Show answer or example answer

   the doctor and the artist’s

   the doctor and the artist’s identifies their shared garden.

Use it today

Write one sentence about a shared object and one about separate objects.