What are the two uses of an apostrophe?

Apostrophes show missing letters in contractions (can't, we're) and show possession (Ana's book, the birds' nests).

How do you make a plural noun possessive?

Write the plural first. If it ends in s, add an apostrophe after the s (the dogs' leashes). If it does not end in s, add 's (the children's toys).

It's means it is or it has. Its means belonging to it. If you can replace the word with it is, use it's.

Do plurals ever need an apostrophe?

Ordinary plurals never do: one apple, two apples. Some style guides allow an apostrophe in the plural of single lowercase letters to avoid confusion, as in mind your p's and q's, but that is a rare exception.

Is it James' or James's?

Both are seen. The national curriculum in England teaches 's for singular names ending in s, and many American style guides prefer it too, so James's is a good default unless a teacher asks for the other style.

What grade learns apostrophes?

Under Common Core, contractions and simple possessives start in grade 2 and are built on in grade 3. In England, Year 2 covers contractions and singular possession, and Year 4 covers plural possession.

Is there a free apostrophe worksheet with answers?

Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Grades 2 to 6 (Years 3 to 7 in England)

Apostrophes: contractions, possessives and its vs it's

An apostrophe does two jobs: it shows where letters are missing (don't) and it shows that something belongs to someone (the dog's bowl). This page explains both, including possessive apostrophes for plural owners and the its vs it's puzzle, then gives you free practice and a printable apostrophe worksheet with an answer key.

The rule, step by step

Ask whether the word shows missing letters, ownership or just more than one.
For missing letters, put the apostrophe exactly where the letters were taken out: do not becomes don't.
For one owner, write the owner and add 's: the girl's scarf.
For more than one owner, if the plural ends in s, add only an apostrophe after the s: the girls' scarves.
If the plural owner does not end in s, add 's: the children's scarves.
For a plain plural with no owner, use no apostrophe at all: three scarves.

CCSS L.2.2.CCCSS L.4.1CCSS L.4.2CCSS L.6.2England: Y2 GPS (apostrophes for contraction)England: Y2 GPS (possessive apostrophe, singular nouns)England: Y2 GPS (singular possession)England: Y4 GPS (plural possession)

Worked example

Add the missing apostrophe: The two teachers cars were parked by the gym.

Who owns something? The teachers own the cars, so teachers needs an apostrophe.
Cars does not own anything. It is a plain plural, so it needs no apostrophe.
There are two teachers, so the owner word is the plural teachers.
Teachers already ends in s, so add just an apostrophe after the s: teachers'.
The two teachers' cars were parked by the gym.

Practice now

Question 1 of 100 correct

Write the contraction (short form) of "has not".

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The two jobs of an apostrophe

An apostrophe is the small raised mark in words like can't and Mia's. It has exactly two jobs. It marks missing letters in a contraction, and it marks possession, meaning that something belongs to someone. It never makes a word plural. If a word is not shortening anything and not owning anything, it does not need an apostrophe.

Apostrophes in contractions

A contraction squeezes two words into one, and the apostrophe sits where the missing letters were. In isn't, the apostrophe replaces the o in not. In we'll, it replaces the wi in will.

With not: is not becomes isn't, did not becomes didn't and could not becomes couldn't.
With am and are: I am becomes I'm, you are becomes you're and they are becomes they're.
With is, has, will and have: it is or it has becomes it's, she will becomes she'll and we have becomes we've.
Two odd ones: will not becomes won't, and cannot becomes can't.

Possessive apostrophes

To show that something belongs to one owner, write the owner and add 's: the cat's tail, Dad's phone, my friend's house. This works for singular owners whose names end in s too. The national curriculum in England teaches the 's form (Cyprus's population), and many American style guides prefer it as well, though you will also see James' book in some writing.

For more than one owner, write the plural first, then decide. If the plural ends in s, add only an apostrophe: the cats' tails, the players' jerseys. If the plural does not end in s, add 's: the children's art, the women's team, the mice's cheese.

A picture that helps: write the owner word on a card exactly as it should be, singular or plural. Put the apostrophe straight after the card. If the card does not already end in s, add an s after the apostrophe. One sister: sister plus 's makes sister's. Two sisters: sisters plus ' makes sisters'. The apostrophe always comes right after the owner.

Its vs it's

This pair catches adults as well as children. It's always means it is or it has: It's raining. It's been a long day. Its, with no apostrophe, means belonging to it: The puppy chased its tail.

The test is to read the sentence with it is in place of the word. The puppy chased it is tail makes no sense, so the answer is its. It also helps to know that his, hers, ours, yours, theirs and its never take an apostrophe, because they already show possession on their own.

Apostrophe examples

Contraction: We're late because the bus didn't come.
One owner: The hamster's cage needs cleaning.
Plural owners: The girls' soccer team won its first game.
Irregular plural owner: The men's shoes are on the second floor.
Plural with no owner: We picked six apples. No apostrophe is needed.
Both jobs in one sentence: It's my brother's turn, and he's waited all morning.

How it is taught in school

In the US, Common Core asks grade 2 students to use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives (L.2.2.c). Grade 3 builds on this with forming and using possessives (L.3.2.d), and grade 4 asks students to use frequently confused words correctly (L.4.1.g), and its and it's is a classic example.

In England, Year 2 pupils use apostrophes for contractions and for singular possession, as in the girl's name. Year 4 adds plural possession, as in the girls' names, along with the difference between plural and possessive -s.

Helping at home

Go on an apostrophe hunt in signs, menus and packaging. You will find correct ones and a few that should not be there, and spotting those is good practice.
When your child writes a word ending in s, ask: is it owning something, or is it just more than one?
For its and it's, have your child say the sentence with it is. If that sounds wrong, there is no apostrophe.
Try the practice set below, then print a fresh apostrophe worksheet with an answer key.

Common mistakes

Adding an apostrophe to a plain plural: banana's for sale, two dog's.
Writing it's when you mean belonging to it: The tree lost it's leaves.
Putting the apostrophe in the wrong place in a contraction: does'nt or did'nt instead of doesn't and didn't.
Writing the boy's coats when several boys own them. With more than one owner, it should be the boys' coats.
Writing childrens' or mens'. Children and men are already plural, so they take 's: children's, men's.
Putting apostrophes in possessive pronouns: your's, their's, her's.

Questions people ask

What are the two uses of an apostrophe?: Apostrophes show missing letters in contractions (can't, we're) and show possession (Ana's book, the birds' nests).
How do you make a plural noun possessive?: Write the plural first. If it ends in s, add an apostrophe after the s (the dogs' leashes). If it does not end in s, add 's (the children's toys).
Is it its or it's?: It's means it is or it has. Its means belonging to it. If you can replace the word with it is, use it's.
Do plurals ever need an apostrophe?: Ordinary plurals never do: one apple, two apples. Some style guides allow an apostrophe in the plural of single lowercase letters to avoid confusion, as in mind your p's and q's, but that is a rare exception.
Is it James' or James's?: Both are seen. The national curriculum in England teaches 's for singular names ending in s, and many American style guides prefer it too, so James's is a good default unless a teacher asks for the other style.
What grade learns apostrophes?: Under Common Core, contractions and simple possessives start in grade 2 and are built on in grade 3. In England, Year 2 covers contractions and singular possession, and Year 4 covers plural possession.
Is there a free apostrophe worksheet with answers?: Yes. Use the Print a worksheet button on this page for a fresh worksheet each time, with an answer key showing answers only or answers with worked steps.

Updated November 1, 2026.

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