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Classroom · Grammar · 3rd grade

Possessive nouns worksheets

A free five-page pack: learn the rule with pictures, then sort words, find them in sentences and use them in writing, with an answer key.

Download the possessive nouns pack(5 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

Watch it solved

44 sec · with voice and captions

A pencil works one example of each activity, so you can see how the worksheet goes before you print it. Tap a step to jump to it. The rest of the sheet is left for your child to finish.

Read what the video says
  1. 0:00 Let's practice possessive nouns, step by step.
  2. 0:03 A possessive noun shows who owns something. Add 's for one owner (the dog's bone). Add just ' to a plural that ends in s (the kids' ball). For example: The dog's bone is next to the cats' bowl.
  3. 0:17 Look and say: dog's, bird's, spider's.
  4. 0:21 Read each word, and write it in the right box. Boy's goes in the one owner box.
  5. 0:27 Read each sentence. Circle the possessive noun. The cat's tail is long.
  6. 0:33 Who owns it? Write the owner in ( ) with 's or '. The dog's bone
  7. 0:37 Great job! Now print the free worksheet, and finish the rest on your own.

The rule

A possessive noun shows who owns something. Add 's for one owner (the dog's bone). Add just ' to a plural that ends in s (the kids' ball).

The dog's bone is next to the cats' bowl.

Look and say

  • dog'sthe dog's bone
  • bird'sthe bird's nest
  • spider'sthe spider's web
  • turtle'sthe turtle's shell
  • Dad'sDad's cap
  • teacher'sthe teacher's books
  • kids'the kids' ball
  • cats'the cats' bowl

Try some

The cat's tail is long.Show answer
I found Noor's book.Show answer
The bird's nest is in the tree.Show answer
The kids' kites flew high.Show answer
My brother's bike is red.Show answer
The turtle's shell is hard.Show answer
The teacher's desk is neat.Show answer
The bees' hive is busy.Show answer

Find the words in each sentence, then tap to check.

What the worksheets look like

Possessive nouns worksheet, page 1
Page 1: learn the rule
Possessive nouns worksheet, page 2
Page 2: sort the words

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Common questions

What are possessive nouns?

A possessive noun shows who owns something. Add 's for one owner (the dog's bone). Add just ' to a plural that ends in s (the kids' ball).

How do I teach possessive nouns?

Ask "Who owns it?" first. Write the owner, then decide: one owner gets 's; more than one owner ending in s gets just an apostrophe after the s.

What mistake should I watch for?

Putting an apostrophe in every plural, as in "two cat's". If nothing is owned, there is no apostrophe: two cats.

What grade learns possessive nouns?

Usually 3rd grade. In the Common Core it is part of L.3.2d.