Editing Phase Autobiographies

After making big changes to improve your phase autobiography, you need to make little changes (editing) to correct any remaining errors. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit your writing.

Editing Possessives

In writing, possessives are used to show ownership. Read the following rules and examples about forming possessives.

To form the possessive of a singular noun or an indefinite pronoun, add ’s. (Indefinite pronouns include one, anybody, nobody, somebody, anyone, no one, someone.)

the dog’s ball, Jess’s book, someone’s backpack

To form the possessive of most plural nouns (those that end in s), add only the apostrophe.

the boys’ locker room, the teachers’ lounge, the Smiths’ party

To form the possessive of irregular plural nouns (those that do not end in s), add ’s.

the children’s toys, women’s basketball

Form possessives.

If the possessive form in any of the following sentences is incorrect or missing, replace it with the correct form. Use the rules and examples above as a guide. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Joes train has been delayed. Joe’s train has been delayed.
My books pages are stuck together. My book’s pages are stuck together.
The mens’ locker room is down the hall. The men’s locker room is down the hall.
The women basketball game lasted two hours. The women's basketball game lasted two hours.
I poured the cat food into Henry’s bowl. I poured the cat food into Henry’s bowl. (correct)
The party is at the Green’s house. The party is at the Greens’ house.
The outcome of the election is anybodys’ guess. The outcome of the election is anybody’s guess.
The closet was full of children’s toys. The closet was full of children’s toys. (correct)
The first baseman missed the coachs’ sign. The first baseman missed the coach’s sign.
Alisha met her friends at Janets’ house. Alisha met her friends at Janet’s house.