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One problem area that deserves special attention is the spelling of words that show possession. In English we use the apostrophe to show possession in nouns – words that name things – so:

This is John’s desk. The book’s cover is torn. The children’s singing was charming. It is nearly the animals’ feeding time.

How do you know where to put the apostrophe?

There is a very simple procedure that you can apply to all nouns in the English language. First, realise that the apostrophe is not inserted into anything – it is always placed immediately after the possessing noun. Here is the three-step procedure you can follow:

 Step 1: Write the possessing noun down. It may be a singular or plural noun – just write it in whichever is the appropriate form.

 Step 2: Add an apostrophe. This is an automatic procedure – don’t even think about it.

 Step 3: Decide whether an s after the apostrophe is needed. Say the word aloud. If it sounds right without the s, stop at the apostrophe. If it only sounds right when you add the s, add it.