Apostrophes for possession (age 7+)
Use the possessive apostrophe accurately with both regular and irregular plural nouns (e.g., the girls' bags, the children's toys), distinguishing singular from plural possession
Suggested ages 7–10
Learning journey
Your child is learning important spelling rules — using apostrophes correctly for possession, distinguishing between words that sound the same, and understanding how prefixes and suffixes work.
Evidence of understanding
- Place the apostrophe correctly in plural possessives: 'the dogs' kennel' vs 'the dog's kennel'
- Write possessive forms of irregular plurals correctly (e.g. 'children's', 'women's', 'mice's')
- Distinguish singular possession (the boy's hat) from plural possession (the boys' hats) in dictated sentences
Assessment prompt
When Apostrophes for possession (age 7+) writes about something belonging to a group — like "the children's coats" or "the teachers' cars" — do they put the apostrophe in the right place?
Standards alignment
L.3.2d
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · 3
L.4.2d
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects · 4
Apostrophes for plural possession
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Possessive apostrophe with plural words
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Place the possessive apostrophe
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Indicate possession
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2