11+ Apostrophes: Possession, Contractions and Practice
Choose apostrophes by meaning: contractions, singular and plural possession, its and it’s, with an original passage and eight explained questions.
An apostrophe is easier to place when you first decide what the word is doing. Is it shortening two words? Is it showing a noun’s relationship to something? Or is the word simply plural? Looking for every letter s and inserting punctuation is not a reliable method.
These original questions support preparation for exams taken in 2027. They are not official school papers. Topic coverage and question formats vary: check your target school’s current information. Try the questions on paper before opening each answer.
Ask what the apostrophe means
A contraction leaves letters out: we have becomes we’ve. Possession uses an apostrophe with a noun: the pilot’s map. An ordinary plural does not need one: three maps. These are different decisions, so first identify the intended meaning rather than guessing the punctuation from the sound.
Count the owners, not the things owned
In “the artist’s brushes”, one artist has several brushes. The apostrophe belongs with artist, because that is the owner word. In “the artists’ studio”, several artists share a studio; artists is already plural and ends in s, so the apostrophe follows that s. One studio does not make the owners singular.
| Meaning | Written form |
|---|---|
| The notebook of one swimmer | the swimmer’s notebook |
| The notebooks of several swimmers | the swimmers’ notebooks |
| The notebooks of several children | the children’s notebooks |
| More than one notebook, with no ownership stated | notebooks |
Irregular plurals need attention. Children already means more than one child, so there is no reason to add another plural s before the apostrophe. Form the owner word first, then decide the ending. This avoids treating children like a regular plural such as swimmers.
Use the expansion test for it’s
It’s can stand for it is or it has. Its expresses possession without an apostrophe. Try expanding the phrase in its sentence. “It’s become quieter” means “It has become quieter”. “The clock lost its hands” cannot mean “The clock lost it is hands”. The surrounding words decide the answer.
Original passage: the exhibition
Before the exhibition, one curator checked the artists’ labels. Two visitors left their umbrellas beside the children’s drawings. “It’s almost ready,” the curator said, lifting a model onto its stand. “We’ve only got the lights to test.”
The passage has several artists, more than one child, and one curator. Its apostrophes do different jobs. Artists’ and children’s mark relationships with nouns; it’s and we’ve shorten phrases. Visitors and umbrellas are plain plurals. The model’s stand is described with its, so no apostrophe is added there.
A proofreading routine
- Read the sentence for meaning before editing it.
- For a contraction, expand the words and check that the sentence still makes sense.
- For possession, say “the item of the owner” to identify the owner word.
- Form that owner as singular or plural before placing the apostrophe.
- Leave ordinary plural nouns alone.
A sentence without enough context can allow more than one possessive form. “The singers song” could concern one singer or several. A careful question states the number of owners, or provides clues in a passage. Do not claim an answer is uniquely correct when the meaning has not been specified.
Eight original questions
1. Rewrite “We have finished the display” using a contraction.
Show answer and explanation
We’ve finished the display.
We’ve contracts we have. The apostrophe marks the omitted letters in have.
2. One gardener owns several spades. Rewrite “the spades belonging to the gardener”.
Show answer and explanation
the gardener’s spades
There is one gardener, so the singular owner takes ’s. Spades is an ordinary plural.
3. Four musicians share a rehearsal room. Rewrite “the room used by the musicians” using possession.
Show answer and explanation
the musicians’ rehearsal room
Musicians is plural and already ends in s. Add the apostrophe after that s.
4. Rewrite “the helmets belonging to the children” using possession.
Show answer and explanation
the children’s helmets
Children is an irregular plural without a final s. Add ’s to children.
5. Complete: “The museum has changed ___ entrance, and ___ easier to find.”
Show answer and explanation
its; it’s
The first gap means the museum’s entrance. The second expands to it is easier to find.
6. In the exhibition passage, what two words does “It’s” replace?
Show answer and explanation
It is
The sentence means It is almost ready. It has almost ready would not be grammatical.
7. Correct this sentence: “The baker sold six loaf’s before lunch.”
Show answer and explanation
The baker sold six loaves before lunch.
This is a plural, not possession. The correct plural spelling is loaves, with no apostrophe.
8. Explain the difference between “the dancer’s shoes” and “the dancers’ shoes”.
Show answer and explanation
The first refers to one dancer; the second to more than one dancer.
Shoes is plural in both phrases. The changed apostrophe position changes the number of owners, not the number of shoes.
Take the rule into your own writing
Write two sentences about a shared object and two about separate owners. Underline the owner words, then explain each apostrophe aloud. Follow with our direct-speech punctuation guide to edit the exhibition dialogue, or return to the English hub. This practice tests explanation as well as spotting a symbol.
Teaching sources checked 24 October 2026: British Council: capital letters and apostrophes and DfE English programme. The passage, examples and questions are original; no official mark scheme or educator endorsement is claimed.
Ready to practise?
Choose original practice and use the answer explanations to decide what to work on next. These are not official school papers.