English Language Arts
Grade 5
15 min
Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives
Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives
What you'll learn
- Identify instances where semicolons and commas are correctly and incorrectly used to separate independent and dependent clauses in complex sentences with 80% accuracy on a written quiz.
- Apply the rules of semicolon and comma usage to correctly combine two related independent clauses into a single sentence using a semicolon in at least 3 out of 4 practice exercises.
- Revise five sentences, initially containing comma splices or run-on sentences, by correctly inserting semicolons and commas to separate clauses according to grammatical conventions with 100% accuracy.
- Explain the difference in function between semicolons and commas in separating clauses, providing examples of when each is most appropriate in a short paragraph assessed using a rubric.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Differentiate between a plural noun (more than one) and a possessive noun (shows ownership).
Correctly identify singular possessive nouns in sentences.
Correctly identify plural possessive nouns in sentences.
Accurately form the singular possessive of any given noun by adding an apostrophe and 's'.
Accurately form the plural possessive of both regular (ending in -s) and irregular nouns.
Apply the rules of possessive nouns to improve clarity and correctness in their own persuasive and narrative writing.
Have you ever seen a sign that says 'The Smiths' house' and another that says 'The Smith's dog'? 🤔 Let's figure out why that tiny apostrophe moves and what it means!
In this tutorial, we will become experts at...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Plural NounA noun that means more than one person, place, or thing. It usually ends in -s or -es.The dogs barked loudly. (dogs = more than one dog)
Possessive NounA noun that shows ownership or a close relationship. It always uses an apostrophe (').The dog's collar is red. (The collar belongs to the dog.)
ApostropheA punctuation mark (') used to show that a noun is possessive or to indicate where letters have been omitted in a contraction.teacher's desk (possessive); can't (contraction for cannot)
Singular PossessiveShows that ONE person, place, or thing owns something. It is formed by adding an apostrophe and an 's' ('s).The student's project was amazing. (The project belongs to one student.)
Plural PossessiveShows that M...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Singular Possessive Rule
Noun + 's
To show that one noun owns something, add an apostrophe and an 's' to the end of the noun, even if the noun already ends in 's'. For example, 'the bus's wheels' or 'James's hat'.
The Plural Possessive Rule (for nouns ending in -s)
Plural Noun + '
To show that more than one noun owns something, and the plural noun already ends in 's', just add an apostrophe after the 's'. For example, 'the dogs' toys' or 'the babies' cribs'.
The Plural Possessive Rule (for irregular plurals)
Irregular Plural Noun + 's
To show ownership for a plural noun that does NOT end in 's' (like children, men, or mice), add an apostrop...
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Consider the noun 'mouse'. Which option correctly lists the singular possessive AND the plural possessive forms?
A.Singular: mouse's; Plural: mouses'
B.Singular: mouses'; Plural: mice's
C.Singular: mouse's; Plural: mice's
D.Singular: mouse's; Plural: mices'
Challenging
Two students are describing a project done by a group of girls. Maria writes, 'The girls's project was amazing.' Sam writes, 'The girls' project was amazing.' Who is correct and why?
A.Maria is correct because you always add 's to show possession.
B.Sam is correct because 'girls' is a plural noun ending in 's', so it only needs an apostrophe.
C.Both are correct because there are two ways to write it.
D.Neither is correct; it should be 'The girl's project was amazing.'
Challenging
Imagine scientists discover a new animal called a 'wum'. The plural of 'wum' is 'wums'. How would you write 'the home belonging to many wums'?
A.The wum's home
B.The wums' home
C.The wumses home
D.The wums's home
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives"?
Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives is a Grade 5 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives?
You'll be able to: Identify instances where semicolons and commas are correctly and incorrectly used to separate independent and dependent clauses in complex sentences with 80% accuracy on a written quiz; Apply the rules of semicolon and comma….
Is "Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Identify plurals, singular possessives, and plural possessives?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.