GED Reasoning Through Language ArtsLanguage Conventions and UsageMedium
A student is proofreading an essay and encounters a sentence that needs an apostrophe to show possession. Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe to indicate possession?
- AThe students's grades improved significantly after consistent study.
- BThe students' improved significantly after consistent study.
- CThe students grades improved significantly after consistent study.
- DThe student's grades improved significantly after consistent study.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. The student's grades improved significantly after consistent study.
To show possession for a singular noun, an apostrophe followed by an 's' is used (student's). For plural nouns ending in 's', only an apostrophe is added after the 's' (students'). Option A correctly shows singular possession.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This option incorrectly adds an extra 's' after the apostrophe for a singular possessive.
- B. This option uses a plural possessive 'students'' but the sentence structure implies singular possession ('The students' improved') and is grammatically incomplete in this context.
- C. This option lacks an apostrophe, indicating a plural noun 'students' instead of singular possessive.
Apostrophe for Possession
An apostrophe is used with an 's' to show that a noun owns or possesses something. The placement of the apostrophe depends on whether the noun is singular or plural.
- Singular noun: add 's (e.g., cat's toy).
- Plural noun ending in 's': add ' after the 's' (e.g., cats' toys).
- Plural noun not ending in 's': add 's (e.g., children's books).
- Do not use apostrophes for plural nouns that are not possessive (e.g., two cats).
Memory trick: Apostrophes show ownership or contraction, never just plurals.