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Using apostrophes for contraction, singular possession and plural possession
I can accurately punctuate sentences including apostrophes for contraction, singular possession or plural possession.
Lesson 4 of 4
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- Year 5
Using apostrophes for contraction, singular possession and plural possession
I can accurately punctuate sentences including apostrophes for contraction, singular possession or plural possession.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- An apostrophe is an important piece of punctuation with more than one purpose.
- An apostrophe can contract two words together.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another singular noun.
- An apostrophe can show if a noun belongs to another plural noun.
- Contractions are useful in writing to indicate a character's informal speech.
Keywords
Apostrophe for contraction - a punctuation mark used to contract two words together
Apostrophe for possession - a punctuation mark used to show if a noun belongs to another singular or plural noun
Singular - only one
Plural - more than one
Common misconception
Pupils may believe all plural nouns end in s.
Emphasise that several very common plural nouns do not end in s - make a list of these to keep.
Apostrophes have several purposes, which will need to be regularly reviewed in shared reading and writing. Encourage children to use contractions when writing dialogue to show judicious and precise use of informal, colloquial character's tone.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these pieces of punctuation can be used to add parenthesis to a sentence?
Which of these pieces of punctuation can be used to add parenthesis to a sentence?
full stops
apostrophes
Q2.Which of these sentences uses dashes correctly to add parenthesis?
Which of these sentences uses dashes correctly to add parenthesis?
The eagle - swooped fast as lightning - towards its innocent prey.
The eagle swooped fast - as lightning - towards its innocent prey.
Q3.Which words in this sentence could be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'A siren loud as thunder woke us in an instant.'
Which words in this sentence could be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'A siren loud as thunder woke us in an instant.'
a siren
a siren woke us in an instant
Q4.Which words in this sentence could be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'The cave dark and vast and empty echoed with the sound of our whispers.'
Which words in this sentence could be placed between dashes to show parenthesis? 'The cave dark and vast and empty echoed with the sound of our whispers.'
the cave echoed with the sound of our whispers
the cave echoed
Q5.Which of these sentences creates the most intense effect of sadness for the reader?
Which of these sentences creates the most intense effect of sadness for the reader?
The child sat down and cried.
The child - in jeans and a t-shirt - sat down and cried.
Q6.Which of these pieces of parenthesis could be added to this sentence to create an effect of fear? 'The forest surrounded them on all sides.'
Which of these pieces of parenthesis could be added to this sentence to create an effect of fear? 'The forest surrounded them on all sides.'
bright as the midday sun
a glorious expanse of greenery
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following can an apostrophe be used to show?
Which of the following can an apostrophe be used to show?
correction
position
Q2.Which sentence below uses both apostrophes for contraction correctly?
Which sentence below uses both apostrophes for contraction correctly?
They'd told us it was'nt ready yet.
Theyd' told us it wasn't ready yet.
Q3.Which words in this sentence could be contracted using an apostrophe? 'We should have given it to him, but he had told us to wait.'
Which words in this sentence could be contracted using an apostrophe? 'We should have given it to him, but he had told us to wait.'
given it
told us
Q4.Match each 'possession' idea to the sentence that uses it. Each sentence uses an apostrophe for singular possession.
Match each 'possession' idea to the sentence that uses it. Each sentence uses an apostrophe for singular possession.
Q5.Which sentence correctly uses the apostrophe for plural possession for the idea 'the tired passengers belonging to the ships'?
Which sentence correctly uses the apostrophe for plural possession for the idea 'the tired passengers belonging to the ships'?
The ships' tired passenger's got off at the port.
The ship's tired passengers got off at the port.
Q6.Tick the sentences that use an apostrophe for plural possession correctly.
Tick the sentences that use an apostrophe for plural possession correctly.
The childrens' appalling behaviour shocked Mrs Begum.
The persons' huge sacrifices made all the difference.
