-'s and ' after nouns

When we want to say that something belongs to a person (or an animal), we normally use 's.

Singular noun + 's

If it is a singular noun or name, we add 's at the end:

For example

my friend's dog my friend is the master of this dog

Kate's blog Kate writes this blog

Mrs Oakley's husband Mrs Oakley is married to this man

cow's milk milk from the cow

If it is a plural noun (a person or an animal), we only add an apostrophe ' at the end:

For example

my parents' flat = my father's and my mother's flat

our friends' children = Dan and Rose's children

my sisters' party = the party of my three sisters

Pay attention

If a noun has an irregular plural form (like man–men, child–children), then we add 's.

For example

women's haircut

men's shirts

my children's favourite toys

If one and the same person/thing belongs to more than one person, we add -s only to the last noun, but not to all nouns.

For example

Mike and Lilly's father Mike and Lilly have the same father

my aunt and uncle's house my aunt and uncle live in this house together

If some things belong to some persons, each thing to each person, we put -s after every noun.

For example

Peter's and Bill's desks = Peter's desk and Bill's desk

my cat's and dog's bowls = my cat's bowl and my dog's bowl

When we speak not about people but about things, we usually use the preposition of. It shows that something belongs to something.

For example

a cup of tea WRONG: tea's cup

the capital of Brazil WRONG: Brazil's capital

the love of my life WRONG: my life's love

the episode of the series WRONG: the series' episode