--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns…" description: "\"“1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.”\" — William Strunk" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21f/william-strunk-52944_possessive_1-form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns_2742612.jpg" --- # 1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's. ![“1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.” quote by William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21f/william-strunk-52944_possessive_1-form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns_2742612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21f/william-strunk-52944_possessive_1-form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns_2742612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21f/william-strunk-52944_possessive_1-form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns_2742612.jpg) > ““1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's.”” [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grammar rule: add ’s to form the possessive singular of nouns. **In simple terms:** Add ’s for singular possessive. Key Takeaway Apply correct possessive forms. Themes grammar writing language Mood educational practical Type instructional reference When to use this quote - editing documents - teaching English - proofreading - writing essays Key Concepts possessive forms English rules Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to rephrase instead of using ’s? - Do you know exceptions to this rule? A Different Perspective Overuse can make writing sound stilted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Form Possessive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-possessive-2867791/) [Possessive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessive/) [Possessive Singular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessive-singular-2867792/) [Singular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singular/) [Singular Nouns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singular-nouns-3038277/) ## Related quotes > [“Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's. Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write: Charles's friend, Burns's poems, the witch's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strunk-jr-william/form-the-possessive-singular-of-nouns-by-adding-s-follow-this-rule/) [Strunk Jr., William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/strunk-jr-william/) > [“I wouldn’t trust a place that doesn’t understand how to correctly form the possessive of a noun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-wouldn-t-trust-a-place-that-doesn-t-understand-how-to-correctly/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [Remember: Y'all is singular. All y'all is plural. All y'all's is plural possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/remember-y-all-is-singular-all-y-all-is-plural-all-y-all-s-is-plural/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [“I find nothing so singular in life as that everything appears to lose its substance the instant one actually grapples with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/i-find-nothing-so-singular-in-life-as-that-everything-appears-to-lose/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [I think leadership is never singular. In a good organization, it's plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-think-leadership-is-never-singular-in-a-good-organization-it-s/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [“And I kept thinking about how sky is a singular noun, as if it's one thing. But the sky isn't one thing. The sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-i-kept-thinking-about-how-sky-is-a-singular-noun-as-if-it-s-one/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“When our mental functioning is whittling away and our mind becomes a lame duck, perception does not form the context anymore and all connections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-our-mental-functioning-is-whittling-away-and-our-mind-becomes-a/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [My career has evolved at its own peculiar pace. American careers are supposed to have a much more singular direction than I've been able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/my-career-has-evolved-at-its-own-peculiar-pace-american-careers-are/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [In my experience, 'SNL' has Lorne Michaels, who is, you know, the captain of the ship and gives the show direction and a singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taran-killam/in-my-experience-snl-has-lorne-michaels-who-is-you-know-the-captain/) [Taran Killam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taran-killam/) > [... as a rule of thumb, whenever there appears a plural, correct for a singular. Should I ever let slip a royal WE, put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/as-a-rule-of-thumb-whenever-there-appears-a-plural-correct-for-a/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [By the time we get to the 2040s, we'll be able to multiply human intelligence a billionfold. That will be a profound change that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-the-time-we-get-to-the-2040s-we-ll-be-able-to-multiply-human/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I think god is singular and exists everywhere and for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourabh-raj-jain/i-think-god-is-singular-and-exists-everywhere-and-for-everyone/) [Sourabh Raj Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourabh-raj-jain/) > [If art is singular expression, then by nature, the best art is controversial. But when art stirs debate for reasons besides its artistic integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/if-art-is-singular-expression-then-by-nature-the-best-art-is/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [The whole history of pop music had rested on the first person singular, with occasional intrusions of the second person singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-whole-history-of-pop-music-had-rested-on-the-first-person/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“It is said to be the age of the first person singular”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-said-to-be-the-age-of-the-first-person-singular/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by William Strunk > [“This rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk/this-rule-is-difficult-to-apply-it-is-frequently-hard-to-decide/) [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) > [“the heel of Achilles”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk/the-heel-of-achilles/) [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) > [“5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk/5-do-not-join-independent-clauses-by-a-comma/) [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) > [“3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk/3-enclose-parenthetic-expressions-between-commas/) [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) > [“The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strunk/the-audience-which-had-at-first-been-indifferent-became-more-and-more/) [William Strunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) [Explore all 6 William Strunk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-strunk/) ## More Possessive quotes > [To the newcomer to the south, hearing that a coworker plans a weekend visit to 'mama and them's' (the correct plural possessive, don'tchaknow), might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/to-the-newcomer-to-the-south-hearing-that-a-coworker-plans-a-weekend/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [Sometimes we get too possessive with someone we don't even own. It's a side effect of loving too much, and receiving too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-get-too-possessive-with-someone-we-don-t-even-own-it-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The creative impulses of man are always at war with the possessive impulses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-wyck-brooks/the-creative-impulses-of-man-are-always-at-war-with-the-possessive/) [Van Wyck Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-wyck-brooks/) > [I admit that I am very possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-admit-that-i-am-very-possessive/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [“I'm not possessive over you, Maddie," he says into my ear. "I'm protective, and there's a difference. I'd never try to control you or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hart/i-m-not-possessive-over-you-maddie-he-says-into-my-ear-i-m-protective/) [Emma Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hart/) > [I’ve told you before, I love like a madman,” he said. “Immoderate, jealous, possessive...I’m absolutely intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-ve-told-you-before-i-love-like-a-madman-he-said-immoderate-jealous/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“I can’t help but desire you. I want to taste you again. This feeling I have for you is more than intense ” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/i-can-t-help-but-desire-you-i-want-to-taste-you-again-this-feeling-i/) [Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/) > [Film is not like a book; it's not a writer's baby at all. So many people have put in their talent, by that time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-prawer-jhabvala/film-is-not-like-a-book-it-s-not-a-writer-s-baby-at-all-so-many/) [Ruth Prawer Jhabvala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-prawer-jhabvala/) > [“You’re awfully possessive.” …“That’s because you’re awfully mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/you-re-awfully-possessive-that-s-because-you-re-awfully-mine/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [See, if there is zero possessiveness in a relationship, then one needs to put a reality check to see if things are really going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/see-if-there-is-zero-possessiveness-in-a-relationship-then-one-needs/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [Yes, I get jealous. Yes, I get possessive. Why? Because what's mine is MINE and sometimes I think someone might steal you away forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-zhims/yes-i-get-jealous-yes-i-get-possessive-why-because-what-s-mine-is/) [Keren Zhims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-zhims/) > [Too much excitement, Your Majesty?” I asked. “He was standing too close.” “He was asking about Andrea.” “Too close. I didn’t like it.” Curran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/too-much-excitement-your-majesty-i-asked-he-was-standing-too-close-he/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [He'd been so angry at her -always pushing his buttons, that girl. But then he'd taken her into his arms, and all that anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/he-d-been-so-angry-at-her-always-pushing-his-buttons-that-girl-but/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [I feel possessive about stories I write in Spanish and so I usually end up translating those into English myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/achy-obejas/i-feel-possessive-about-stories-i-write-in-spanish-and-so-i-usually/) [Achy Obejas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/achy-obejas/) > [I am not possessive at all. In every relationship I have had, the girl has left me. And the fundamental complaint has been that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shekhar-kapur/i-am-not-possessive-at-all-in-every-relationship-i-have-had-the-girl/) [Shekhar Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shekhar-kapur/) [Browse all 164 Possessive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“1. 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