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Year 4 English — Whose is it?

Use an apostrophe to show that something belongs to somebody, for one owner and for many.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Where does the apostrophe go in "the boys football" if the ball belongs to several boys?

    • a) before the s in boys
    • b) after the s in boys
    • c) before the l in football
    • d) at the end of football

  2. 2.Which sentence is written correctly?

    • a) The men coats' were on the hooks.
    • b) The men's coats were on the hooks.
    • c) The mens coats were on the hooks.
    • d) The mens' coats were on the hooks.

  3. 3.Pair each long phrase with the short way of saying it.

    • the bag that belongs to Meera
    • the nest that belongs to the bird
    • the toys that belong to the children
    • the bags that belong to the girls
    • Meera's bag
    • the children's toys
    • the girls' bags
    • the bird's nest

  4. 4.Pair each owner with the phrase that is written correctly for it.

    • one dog
    • two dogs
    • one child
    • many children
    • the children's shoes
    • the dog's tail
    • the child's shoe
    • the dogs' tails

  5. 5.Which phrase shows that the classroom belongs to more than one teacher?

    • a) the teacher's room
    • b) the teachers' room
    • c) the teachers room
    • d) the teachers room's

  6. 6.In "the horses' stable", how many horses use the stable?

    • a) more than one
    • b) it does not say
    • c) none
    • d) exactly one

  7. 7.Which phrase shows that the bag belongs to one girl?

    • a) the girls' bag
    • b) the girls bag
    • c) the girls bag's
    • d) the girl's bag

  8. 8.Sort each owner by where the apostrophe goes when you add the s.

    Groups: apostrophe before the s · apostrophe after the s

    • three farmers
    • the girls
    • a farmer
    • two boys
    • the girl
    • one boy

Answer key — Year 4 English — Whose is it?

  1. 1. b) after the s in boys
  2. 2. b) The men's coats were on the hooks.
  3. 3. the bag that belongs to Meera → Meera's bag; the nest that belongs to the bird → the bird's nest; the toys that belong to the children → the children's toys; the bags that belong to the girls → the girls' bags
  4. 4. one dog → the dog's tail; two dogs → the dogs' tails; one child → the child's shoe; many children → the children's shoes
  5. 5. b) the teachers' room
  6. 6. a) more than one
  7. 7. d) the girl's bag
  8. 8. one boy → apostrophe before the s; two boys → apostrophe after the s; the girl → apostrophe before the s; the girls → apostrophe after the s; a farmer → apostrophe before the s; three farmers → apostrophe after the s