How do nouns form their possessive form?

Here's a breakdown of how nouns form their possessive form in English:

General Rule:

* Singular nouns: Add an apostrophe and an "s" ('s).

* Examples: the dog's bone, the boy's toy, the car's engine

* Plural nouns ending in "s": Add only an apostrophe.

* Examples: the dogs' bones, the boys' toys, the cars' engines

* Plural nouns not ending in "s": Add an apostrophe and an "s".

* Examples: the children's toys, the men's coats, the women's hats

Special Cases:

* Nouns ending in "s" that are pronounced with an "s" sound: Add an apostrophe and an "s" ('s) or only an apostrophe (') depending on the sound of the word.

* Examples:

* With an 's' sound: the boss's desk, the witness's testimony

* Without an 's' sound: the bus' arrival, the class' schedule

* Proper nouns ending in "s": You can add an apostrophe and an "s" ('s) or only an apostrophe ('), depending on the pronunciation and style preference.

* Examples: Charles's book, Charles' book

* Joint possession: Use the possessive form only for the last noun.

* Example: John and Mary's house (They share one house)

* Separate possession: Use the possessive form for each noun.

* Example: John's and Mary's cars (They each have their own car)

Remember: The possessive form of a noun indicates ownership or possession. It answers the question "Whose?"

Here's a quick table summarizing the rules:

| Noun Type | Possessive Form | Example |

|---|---|---|

| Singular noun | 's | The dog's bone |

| Plural noun ending in "s" | ' | The dogs' bones |

| Plural noun not ending in "s" | 's | The children's toys |

| Noun ending in "s" (pronounced with an 's' sound) | 's | The boss's desk |

| Noun ending in "s" (not pronounced with an 's' sound) | ' | The bus' arrival |

| Proper noun ending in "s" | 's or ' | Charles's book or Charles' book |

Let me know if you have any more questions!