Definition / Explanation
We often use 's to show that something belongs to a person, animal, or sometimes a thing. It usually comes after the owner: Maria's bag, the dog's bed. This structure is common in everyday English, especially for people and relationships. It is different from of, which is more common in some other kinds of phrases.
Key Rules
- Add 's to a singular noun or name: Maria's bag, the boy's bike.
- Use it often with people: my mother's car.
- For plural nouns ending in -s, add only an apostrophe later at a higher level; at A1, focus first on singular forms.
- Do not confuse 's for possession with the contraction of is/has. Meaning comes from context.
- You can use more than one possessive in a noun phrase, but keep it simple at A1.
Examples
- Maria's bag is red.
- My friend's car is old.
- The teacher's desk is near the window.
- Tom's phone is on the sofa.
- My sister's room is very clean.
Common Mistakes
- ❌ Maria bag is red. -> ✅ Maria's bag is red.
- ❌ The car of my friend is old. -> ✅ My friend's car is old.
- ❌ My friend's is old car. -> ✅ My friend's car is old.