A2 Grammar Lesson 4

Unit 4 – Grammar Rules

4A – Possessive ’s, Whose…?

Possessive ’s

We use (’s) to talk about people and their possessions, family, or relationships.

  • That’s Anna’s phone.
  • He’s David’s brother.
  • This is my sister’s bag.

Rules & Examples

1. person + ’s

We normally use ’s with people (not things).

  • Emma’s car
  • my father’s office
  • the teacher’s desk

❌ the car’s door (usually → the door of the car)

2. Plural nouns

  • With regular plural nouns, we add ’ (apostrophe only).
  • my parents’ house
  • the students’ books
  • With irregular plurals, we add ’s.
  • children’s room
  • men’s shoes

3. ’s is not always possession

It can also mean relationship or description.

  • Maria’s mother
  • John’s English (English = what he speaks)

Whose…?

We use Whose…? to ask who something belongs to.

  • Whose bag is this?
  • Whose keys are those?
  • Whose bike is outside?

Answers

  • It’s Laura’s.
  • They’re my brother’s.
  • It’s hers.

Whose vs Who’s

  • Who’s = Who is
  • Who’s that man?
  • Whose = of who
  • Whose coat is this?

They sound the same, but the meaning is different.

Quiz 1