Plural possession pairs
Match a plural owner to the correctly placed apostrophe.
For parents and teachers
About this game
Grade 3 spelling includes apostrophes for plural possession. Plural possession pairs distinguishes regular plurals ending in s from irregular plurals such as children, men and women. The owner needs to be identified before the apostrophe is placed. The prepared prompts explicitly name more than one owner so that the plural meaning is clear, rather than relying on a guess from a picture. Compare the girls’ coats with the children’s books. Girls is already a plural ending in s, so the apostrophe follows that s. Children is plural without a final s, so possession adds apostrophe plus s. Write a short sentence for each example and explain who owns the objects. Avoid using the apostrophe merely because a word is plural.
Common Core connection: L.3.2.d. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
Suggested for ages 8–9. Grade 3 is a starting point, not a rule for every class.
How to play
Read the cards and match each one to its partner. Find six pairs, with no timer. Think about the meaning before choosing.
Step by step
- Read. Read the card, sentence or story clue all the way through.
- Choose. Use the meaning, not a guess from the first word.
- Talk. After the round, explain one choice out loud.
Worked examples
Use the first item as a model. Read it aloud, name the clue that decides the answer, then choose. The same steps work for the next item.
Common mistakes
Choosing too quickly. Slow down and use the whole sentence or clue. A familiar word can still be the wrong choice.
At home
Play one round together, then let the learner try the next round. Ask which words decided the answer.
In class
Use one round as a warm-up. Invite a learner to explain a choice before the next card.
Printable
This on-screen game does not include a worksheet. Practice the same idea with paper and a pencil, using an example from the guide.
Questions
Does this cover a whole standard?
No. It practices one part of the connected standard.