Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 64 · A2

-'s (Kate's camera / my brother's car etc.)

Use -'s to say that something belongs to a person: Kate's camera, my brother's car. After a plural ending in -s, write only an apostrophe. For things and places, use of.

Start the lesson

13Steps · about 23 minutes

In this lesson

-'s for peopleA2 screens of questions
friend's and friends'B3 screens of questions
of for things and placesC3 screens of questions

Point A of 3

-'s for people

A woman called Kate holds up her camera: it is Kate's camera (her camera). A man stands proudly next to a red car: it is my brother's car (his car). A door has a sign on it that says MANAGER: it is the manager's office (his or her office).

-'s is the normal way to show that something belongs to a person. The car of my brother sounds wrong.

-'s can also stand without a noun when everyone knows what is meant. I was at Ravi's normally means at Ravi's house.

  • We had tea at my aunt's house.
  • Have you met Mrs Patel's husband?
  • Are you going to Charles's party?
  • Jo can be a man's name or a woman's name.
  • Sian's garden is bigger than Martin's. (= Martin's garden)
  • "Whose coat is this?" "It's my dad's." (= my dad's coat)
  • "Where did you stay last night?" "At Ravi's." (= Ravi's house)

Point A · Exercise 64.2 · part 1 of 2

Five people are waiting at a bus station in Leeds. Meera has a woolly hat and a rucksack. Tom has an umbrella. Ruth has a pair of walking boots. Joy has a long striped scarf. Callum has a set of car keys. Answer the questions. Use one word only.

  1. Example

    A woolly hat.

    Whose is this? Meera's

    AnswerWhose is this? Meera's.

  2. An umbrella.

    Whose is this?

  3. A rucksack.

    And this?

  4. A pair of walking boots.

    And these?

  5. A long striped scarf.

    And this?

Point A · Exercise 64.2 · part 2 of 2

Five people are waiting at a bus station in Leeds. Meera has a woolly hat and a rucksack. Tom has an umbrella. Ruth has a pair of walking boots. Joy has a long striped scarf. Callum has a set of car keys. Answer the questions. Use one word only.

  1. A set of car keys.

    And these?

Point B of 3

friend's and friends'
my friend's flat one friend (his flat or her flat)
my friends' flat two or more friends (their flat)

After a singular noun such as friend, student, mother, write -'s: my mother's bike (one mother), my father's bike (one father).

After a plural noun ending in -s, such as friends, students, parents, write only -': my parents' bike (two parents).

  • My sister's room is tidy. (one sister)
  • My sisters' room is a disgrace. (two or more sisters)
  • The teacher read the students' work.

Point B · Exercise 64.1 · part 1 of 3

Here is a family. Pat and Colin are married. They have a son, Ryan, and a daughter, Leanne. Leanne is married to Darren. Leanne and Darren have a son, Kyle. Write sentences about the people in the family.

  1. Example

    (Colin / husband)

    Colin is Pat's husband.

    AnswerColin is Pat's husband.

  2. Example

    (Leanne / mother)

    Leanne is Kyle's mother.

    AnswerLeanne is Kyle's mother.

  3. (Pat / wife) Pat is ... wife.

  4. (Ryan / brother) Ryan ...

  5. (Ryan / uncle) ... uncle.

  6. (Leanne / wife) Leanne ...

Point B · Exercise 64.1 · part 2 of 3

Here is a family. Pat and Colin are married. They have a son, Ryan, and a daughter, Leanne. Leanne is married to Darren. Leanne and Darren have a son, Kyle. Write sentences about the people in the family.

  1. (Pat / grandmother)

  2. (Leanne / sister)

  3. (Darren / husband)

  4. (Darren / father)

Point B · Exercise 64.1 · part 3 of 3

Here is a family. Pat and Colin are married. They have a son, Ryan, and a daughter, Leanne. Leanne is married to Darren. Leanne and Darren have a son, Kyle. Write sentences about the people in the family.

  1. (Kyle / nephew)

Point C of 3

of for things and places

For things, places and ideas, we normally use of, not -'s.

  • Look at the top of that tower. (not that tower's top)
  • We missed the end of the match. (not the match's end)
  • What's the name of this street?
  • Nobody knows the reason for the delay or the cause of the fire.
  • The dog sleeps in the back of the van.
  • Cardiff is the capital of Wales.

Point C · Exercise 64.3 · part 1 of 3

Look at the words in square brackets. Are they correct? If they are, write OK. If they are not, write the sentence correctly.

  1. Example

    I had lunch at [the flat of my brother].

    I had lunch at my brother's flat.

    AnswerI had lunch at my brother's flat.

  2. Example

    What's [the name of this street]?

    OK

    AnswerWhat's the name of this street?

  3. I love [the colour of your car].

  4. Have you got [the email address of Sophie]?

  5. [The car of my neighbour] is always dirty.

  6. Sign your name at [the bottom of the form].

Point C · Exercise 64.3 · part 2 of 3

Look at the words in square brackets. Are they correct? If they are, write OK. If they are not, write the sentence correctly.

  1. [The end of the film] was very sad.

  2. [The favourite food of Owen] is curry.

  3. When is [the wedding of your sister]?

  4. [The garden of my grandparents] is enormous.

Point C · Exercise 64.3 · part 3 of 3

Look at the words in square brackets. Are they correct? If they are, write OK. If they are not, write the sentence correctly.

  1. [The windows of this flat] are very old.

  2. We parked at [the top of the hill].

  3. Did you go to [the barbecue of Marcus] on Sunday?

  4. [The owner of the shop] is very friendly.

Lesson 64 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: a/an ...Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. -'s for people–Not checkedB. friend's and friends'–Not checkedC. of for things and places–Not checked