1.7
Possessive Nouns A possessive noun expresses possession or ownership. In this sentence the tomb belonged to a ruler. The word ruler’s is a possessive noun. The big pyramid was actually a ruler’s tomb.
To form the singular possessive, add -’s to the singular form of the noun. My friend’s report was on ancient Egypt.
To form the possessive of plural nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe only. The kings’ tombs held their mummies. Archaeologists’ work has uncovered the secrets of ancient Egypt.
To form the possessive of plural nouns that do not end in s, add -’s. Women’s influence on ancient Egyptian government was often great.
The possessive of proper nouns ending in s is usually formed by adding -’s. Alexandria Parsons’s book on ancient Egypt has fun activities for kids.
The possessive of compound nouns is formed by adding -’s to the end of the word. My brother-in-law’s vacation to Egypt was full of adventures. My brothers-in-law’s vacations were two months apart.
Exercise 1 Identify the possessive noun in each sentence.
1. King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922. 2. Howard Carter’s discovery was one of the most important archaeological finds ever made.
3. The archaeologist’s labors paid off after seven years. 4. Lord Carnarvon’s funding allowed the excavation to continue. 5. The Egyptian laborers’ patience also helped uncover the tomb. 6. Surprisingly, the ruler’s tomb and mummy were intact. 7. Tomb robbers’ attempts to take major objects had failed. 8. The amazing discovery captured people’s imagination. 9. The world’s attention was focused on the tomb. 10. Historians’ views of the find revealed their complete awe. Mask of Tutankhamen
14 • Section 1.7