3rd Grade · Core Spelling
Possessive Words
A 3rd Grade possessives list that teaches the apostrophe -'s and -s' endings that show ownership, plus irregular plural possessives like children's.
These spelling words are a good fit for students who...
- can spell regular plurals with -s and -es, and know that a plural does not use an apostrophe
- can already join two words into a contraction with an apostrophe, such as don't or it's
- are starting to write sentences that name who or what owns something
Word list
The 12 words to practice in this step
3rd Grade · Core Spelling
- dog's
- dogs'
- teacher's
- teachers'
- boy's
- boys'
- friend's
- friends'
- family's
- families'
- child's
- children's
12 words
Why these words — and what they teach
An apostrophe can mark missing letters in a contraction or show a relationship such as ownership in a possessive. This list focuses on possessives and asks learners to decide who or what owns something before placing the apostrophe.
Six matched pairs make the ownership decision visible: dog’s/dogs’, teacher’s/teachers’, boy’s/boys’, friend’s/friends’, family’s/families’, and child’s/children’s. The first five pairs follow the regular pattern: add ‘s for one owner, and add just an apostrophe after the existing final s for more than one owner. The sixth pair breaks that pattern on purpose. Children is an irregular plural—it does not end in s—so its possessive still takes ‘s, the same ending as the singular child’s. Spelling children’s correctly means recognizing the irregular plural, not just adding an apostrophe after a final s.
This lesson follows suffix spelling changes because a learner must first spell the noun correctly—especially family/families—and then mark possession. It also builds on 2nd Grade contractions, but the apostrophe has a different job here: no letters are being omitted.
How to practice this list
Use short phrases such as “one dog’s leash” and “several dogs’ leashes.” Before writing, ask: Who owns it? Is that noun singular or plural? Have your child write the owner word first, check its plural form if needed, and only then add ‘s or a final apostrophe. Mix the possessives with plain plurals and familiar contractions so they must decide whether an apostrophe belongs at all.
A learner may write dogs when ownership is intended, use dog’s for several owners, or write familys’ before placing the apostrophe correctly. Restate the intended meaning, repair the owner word first, and then place the apostrophe; do not ask them to memorize the entire phrase. A misspelling in the owned object does not show a misunderstanding of possessives.
Apostrophe placement is one of the last punctuation details most children settle at this age, so a few uncertain tries here are expected, not a setback.
Move on when your child can use sentence meaning to distinguish singular and plural owners, form the owner word correctly, and place the apostrophe independently in mixed practice with plurals and contractions.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
- Why does children's use 's instead of just an apostrophe, like dogs' does?
- Children is already plural, but unlike dogs or teachers it does not end in the letter s. Because there is no final s to add an apostrophe after, children's follows the same 's pattern as a singular owner. Only the sentence tells you whether child's or children's is meant.