Are You Advanced in Apostrophes and Possessives?

Last updated Mar 5, 2024
By Gwenydd Jones

Apostrophes are one of those punctuation marks that confuse a lot of people. But although some people struggle with the rules, it’s quite an easy bit of English grammar to master. 

Maybe you have a rough idea or perhaps you’re an apostrophe expert. Whichever describes you, try our fun apostrophe quiz! You’re sure to learn something either way with our explanations for any questions that puzzled you.

Cartoon of Suricata with a thinking cloud that says quick quiz: advanced apostrophes and possessives

Questions about Apostrophes and Possessives

1. Which of the following is a correct possessive?

A. The Jones’s house.

B. The Jones’ house.

C. The Joneses house.

2. True or false? If a singular possessive noun ends in the letter S, you can omit the S after the apostrophe, for example, it was James’ Mazda.

3. True or false? Apostrophes are the same punctuation sign as the accents you see over the letter in some languages, like Spanish.

4. True or false? You can’t use an apostrophe when a thing possesses a thing, for example, the house’s back garden.

Scroll down for the answers.

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation: An Easy-to-Use Guide with Clear Rules, Real-World Examples, and Reproducible Quizzes
$16.95 $13.99
Shop Now
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
10/04/2024 12:13 pm GMT

Answers to Quiz on Apostrophes and Possessives

1. A. Use an apostrophe with plural possessives. 

2. False. But also true. Strictly, it’s only grammatically correct if you use the S: it was James’s sandwich. However, some style guides will tell you to omit it for simplicity.

3. False. If you have a non-English keyboard, never use foreign accents instead of an apostrophe. Either manually insert an apostrophe or switch your keyboard language when writing in English.

4. False. It’s acceptable to do this but it’s often clearer for the reader to use of: the back garden of the house.

Are you an advanced apostrophe user? Prove it! Test your #punctuation powers with our mini quiz. Share on X

Strengthen your CV with a certificate in punctuation!

Want to impress clients by getting a certificate in advanced punctuation skills? Check out our Punctuation Pro course! Want to work on your advanced English grammar? Check out our article on the best books to learn advanced English.

Best Punctuation Course
Punctuation Pro Certificate in Punctuation
£99.99

Get a certificate in punctuation!

  • Learn punctuation fast
  • Get confident
  • Build up your CV to impress clients


Written by Gwenydd Jones

Gwenydd Jones is a Spanish- and French-to-English translator, an SEO blogger and a course creator. She is the founder of The Translator's Studio and the lead teacher on its courses. Connect with Gwenydd on LinkedIn or contact her through this website.

You may also like …

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *