Ultimate Guide to SAT Apostrophe Rules for Possessives for Language Learners

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Many SAT questions test your grammar. One common problem? Apostrophes.
This guide explains the SAT apostrophe rules you need to know: where to place the apostrophe, how to show possession, and the difference between singular and plural possessive nouns.
We’ll look at regular nouns, irregular nouns, and common mistakes — all explained clearly for language learners preparing for the Digital SAT.

SUMMARY

Apostrophe Rules You Need to Know for the SAT

Use these quick tips to spot the right answer in SAT questions.

Add an apostrophe + s to singular nouns
- The girl’s dress (one girl)
- The bus’s door (even if it ends in “s”)
Add only an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in “s”
- The students’ desks (more than one student)
- The teachers’ lounge
Add an apostrophe + s to irregular plural nouns
- The children’s books
- The men’s room
Do not confuse possessives with contractions
- It’s = it is; Its = shows possession
- They’re = they are; Their = shows possession
- You’re = you are; Your = shows possession

Learn where the apostrophe goes, or without an apostrophe, and when to end in “s, or when it doesn’t end in “s

RULES EXPLAINED

What Is an Apostrophe and When Do You Use It?

An apostrophe (’) is a punctuation mark.
On the SAT writing section, apostrophes are used to:

Show possession: Maria’s book, the dogs’ toys
Form contractions: don’t, it’s, they’re

Apostrophes are not used to make plurals

What are plural and possessive nouns?

nouns are singular if there is one and plural if there is more than one.
possessive nouns are nouns that show possession and ownership of something

Plural nouns

Say hello to Peak. He is a student

“Student” is a single noun

Also here are Sai-Mai, Angie and Gineer. They are also students.

“Students” is a plural noun.

Possessive nouns

Pete is reading on a tablet. It is a student’s tablet.

“Student’s” is a possessive noun. It suggests the tablet is owned or possessed by a student.

Wachi is standing by the gate. It is the school’s gate.

“School’s” is a possessive noun. It suggests the gate is owned or possessed by the school.

Single vs plural possessive nouns

Peak is reading on a tablet. It is a student’s tablet.

“Student’s” is a possessive noun. It suggests the tablet is owned or possessed by a student.

Sai-Mai, Angie and Gineer are sitting together. They are sitting on students’ chairs.

“Students’ ” is a plural possessive noun. This indicates that the chairs belong to multiple students.

student’s tablet and students’ chairs are examples with possessive nouns

“student’s ____” is an example of a single possessive noun, and “students’ ____” ia an example of a plural possessive nouns

Mercy is writing with a special pink pen. It is a lady’s pen.

“Lady’s” is a possessive noun. It suggests the pen is owned or possessed by a lady (single)

Angie and Sai-Mai are writing with a special pink pens. They are ladies’ pens.

“Ladies’ ” is a possessive noun. It suggests the pens are owned or possessed by ladies (plural)

Singular and Plural Possessive Nouns

Singular Nouns:

The dog’s bone (the bone of the dog)
Sarah’s book (the book of Sarah)
The teacher’s desk (the desk of the teacher

Plural Nouns (ending in ‘s’):

The students’ classroom (the classroom of the students)
The dogs’ park (the park of the dogs)
The teachers’ lounge (the lounge of the teachers)

Plural Nouns (not ending in ‘s’):

The children’s toys (the toys of the children)
The women’s restroom (the restroom of the women)
The men’s shoes (the shoes of the men)

Irregular Nouns:

The mouse’s cheese (the cheese of the mouse)
The people’s choice (the choice of the people)
The man’s hat (the hat of the man)

Possessive nouns and irregular nouns

man, woman, and child are examples of irregular single nouns

men, women, and children are examples of irregular plural nouns

Irregular Single and Plural Possessive Nouns

the man’s car
the men’s cars
the woman’s dress
the women’s dresses
the child’s toys
the children’s toys

Irregular Single and Plural Possessive Nouns ending is s

the knife’s handle
the knives’ handle
a wife’s brush
some wives’ brushes
a leaf’s color
some leaves’ colors

Plural possessive noun examples

Singular	Plural	Plural Possessive
knife	knives	knives’ blades
wife	wives	wives’ opinions
wolf	wolves	wolves’ den
leaf	leaves	leaves’ colors
calf	calves	calves’ legs

Singular	Plural	Plural Possessive
loaf	loaves	loaves’ crusts
thief	thieves	thieves’ hideout
life	lives	lives’ impact
hoof	hooves	hooves’ prints
scarf	scarves	scarves’ patterns

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns:

his home
her home
its home (no apostrophe)
their home (the home of theirs – ownership / possession)

Pronoun with contraction

It is home
It’s home (with apostrophe)
they are home (to be at home)
they’re home (to be at home)

Practice Questions

If you would like to practice SAT reading and writing questions then try this practice questions page.

LESSON 6

Digital SAT Grammar

9 steps to go from starter to understanding the digital SAT questions, improving your knowledge, skills and ability to do your best in the SAT text.

The latest SAT grammar lesson focused on apostrophes used in possessive nouns and inside sentence punctuation.

Grammar Rules – Punctuate with apostrophes and punctuation

END OF THE LESSON

Return to the Course Home page

FAQ: SAT Apostrophe Questions

Is it James’s or James’ on the SAT?
Both are accepted in general, but the SAT usually follows standard grammar rules. Use James’s to show singular possession unless the style guide used says otherwise.

What are the three rules for apostrophes?
Use ’s to show possession for most singular nouns.
Use ’ for plural nouns ending in “s.”
Use ’s for irregular plural nouns.

How do you place an apostrophe if the noun ends in “s”?
If the noun is singular (e.g., Chris), add ’s → Chris’s book.
If it’s plural and ends in “s,” just add an apostrophe → the dogs’ owner.

When do you use its vs. their on the SAT?
Use its for singular possession (The company lost its data).
Use their for plural possession (The students finished their homework).

Are apostrophes tested on the SAT writing section?
Yes. Apostrophe placement, especially in possessive nouns and contractions, appears in SAT grammar questions in the writing and language section.

Apostrophe Cheat Sheet for Test Day

· Ask: Is the noun possessive or plural?
· If it shows ownership, it needs an apostrophe.
· Plural nouns that don’t end in “s” → add ’s
· Nouns that end in “s” → check if it’s singular or plural

Common SAT Grammar Rules You Need

· Know whether a noun is singular or plural before adding the apostrophe.
· Avoid adding apostrophes to plural nouns that don’t show possession.
· Apostrophes never go in verbs (e.g., walks, talks).
· Use a comma, dash, or colon only when the sentence structure needs it — not for possession.

Test Prep for SAT Apostrophe Rules and Possessive Form

✔ Review SAT grammar rules
✔ Practice with real SAT prep questions
✔ Focus on possessives and contractions
✔ Take practice tests before test day

Bonus Tip: If you’re unsure, try rephrasing the sentence using “belongs to” — if it makes sense, you probably need an apostrophe.

Use an Apostrophe

Use an apostrophe to show possession or form contractions. It should not be used to make a noun plural, and knowing when you need an apostrophe is a common SAT grammar rule.

Singular Possessive Use Apostrophes

If the noun is singular, add apostrophe + s to show ownership. For example, the dog’s leash or James’s jacket — even if the word ends in “s”, this is the rule usually followed in SAT writing questions.

Plural Nouns That End in “s”

If the noun is plural and ends in “s”, just add an apostrophe at the end of the word. Examples of plural forms like students’ papers or teachers’ lounge often appear in SAT tests and academic writing.