The Difference Between Contractions and Possessive Nouns

Students can confuse contractions and possessive nouns because they appear similar because of the apostrophe. However, they are quite distinct. 

What are Contractions?

The word contraction means “the process of becoming smaller”, just like when you let the air out of a balloon or exhale from your lungs.

In grammatical terms, when we speak of contractions it means a shortening of words.  A contraction is a shortened form of two words written as one word and an apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter or letters. This includes common contractions, such as I am shortened to I’m or odd contractions, such as of the clock shortened to o’clock.

Here are lists of common contractions:

What is a possessive noun?

Possessive nouns are nouns that show ownership or possession.

For example: The dog’s toy squeeks.

Singular nouns take on the possessive form by adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’.

The dog has a toy.

It’s the dog’s toy.

Possessive nouns can also show…

… a family relationship…

class="green-text">Emma is Kate’s aunt.

… refer to places, such as churches, schools, restaurants, parks…

Let’s go to Il Cioppino’s for lunch.

… a job title…

The accountant’s recommendation is to file your taxes

Plural possessive nouns

For plural words not ending in the letter ‘s’ – you add an apostrophe and an s:

Men’s
Mice’s

If the plural noun ends in an s, you add an apostrophe to make it possessive:

Oceans’
Cars’