Possessive Noun Worksheets

With possessive noun worksheets, you can teach your students a lot about how to use possessive nouns correctly. You can make some yourself, modify ones that you like, or even print out many online. There are also games and quizzes your students can play at home on their own computer to practice using possessive nouns correctly. Read on to learn more about possessive noun worksheets and how they can help your students learn more about possessive nouns.

Refresher: What Are Possessive Nouns?

Don’t forget: possessive nouns are actually adjectives! This concept usually confuses students, because words they are used to seeing as nouns are now not functioning in the same way. Explain it simply to them, showing them that these changed nouns are actually describing the relationship of a noun to something else. Because they are describing words now (instead of a person, place, thing, or idea) they are now adjectives. 

You can recognize a possessive noun by its special ending: it is followed by an apostrophe and an "s." Here are a few examples in some sentences: 

• Mary’s dog was a beagle.
• The dog’s teeth are sharp, but don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.
• Larry’s hair is very long – he needs a haircut!

Students often confuse these with plural nouns because they sound the same; however, that these two types of words have very different functions. 

Written Work: The Difference Between Confusion and Laziness

Teachers have always dealt with lazy students. However, the problem is really noticeable in the English classroom when students get lazy about using apostrophes. Sometimes, students know the difference between plural nouns and possessive nouns, but they are simply too lazy to write an apostrophe. Make sure to grade students down every time they do this so that they learn their lesson.  

Printable Exercise

Here is a list of sentences with an option for circling the correct word. Have your students choose between possessive nouns and plural nouns and circle the right answer. Add more example sentences to the list if you wish. Another option is to have the student take the incorrect answer and make a new sentence that uses that option correctly. 

1. The dogs / The dog’s collar is blue.
2. Aaron’s / Aarons friend is named Adam.
3. I really like my grandmothers / my grandmother’s cookies.
4. If you want to go to the movies / the movie’s we should go by car.
5. I really like to drink soda using spiral straws / straw’s.
6. The birds / the bird’s egg is blue.
7. I like the smell of roses / rose’s.
8. Diamonds / Diamond’s are a girls / girl’s best friend.
9. David’s  / Davids mom is very tall.
10. My brothers / My brother’s are twins.

You might notice a few tricky options in there for your students to choose between. Correct their work, and see if you can notice any problems or patterns that they continue to make.  

Resources for Possessive Noun Worksheets

There are a lot of resources available online to help you augment your lesson plan and teach about possessive nouns using worksheets.

Links to good quality worksheets include: 

• Super Teacher Worksheets includes lots of noun worksheets, including some specifically about possessive nouns.

• Worksheet Works has more worksheets that deal specifically with possessive phrases.

• Love to Learn Place has grammar exercises that deal specifically with the problems that most students have with possessive articles: in particular, with the idea that plural nouns and possessive nouns sound the same when read out loud.

• Doc Stoc has printable worksheets for students to use either in the classroom or at home for additional practice with possessive nouns. 

Ask your colleagues to share any particularly helpful possessive noun worksheet websites or materials that they come across – by collaborating, you might find new ways to teach your students about possessive nouns.