In this article, we’re going to explore the difference between the possessive and plural forms of “John.” Whether you’re writing a story, a sentence for school, or just want to sound more correct, knowing when to use “John’s,” “Johns’,” and “Johns” can be really helpful!
What Are Plural and Possessive Forms?
Before we dive in, let’s briefly understand what these words mean:
- Plural: This is the form of a word that shows more than one thing. For example, “dogs” means more than one dog.
- Possessive: This shows that something belongs to someone or something. For example, “dog’s bone” means the bone belongs to the dog.
Singular Possessive Form: “John’s”
When you are talking about something that belongs to John, you add an apostrophe + “s” after the name.
For example:
- John’s book means the book belongs to John.
- John’s bike means the bike belongs to John.
Plural Form: “Johns”
If you want to talk about more than one John, you use Johns (just add an “s”).
For example:
- The Johns are playing soccer means more than one person named John is playing soccer.
Plural Possessive Form: “Johns’”
If you are talking about something belonging to more than one John, you add an apostrophe after the “s”.
For example:
- The Johns’ shoes are on the floor means the shoes of the multiple Johns are on the floor.
- The Johns’ house is large means the house that belongs to all the Johns is large.
Let’s Break It Down with a Table
Here’s a simple table to help you remember these different forms:
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| John’s (Singular Possessive) | Belonging to one John | John’s pencil (The pencil belongs to John) |
| Johns (Plural) | More than one John | The Johns are friends (There is more than one John) |
| Johns’ (Plural Possessive) | Belonging to multiple Johns | The Johns’ toys (The toys belong to more than one John) |
Summary
- Use “John’s” when something belongs to one John.
- Use “Johns” when talking about more than one John.
- Use “Johns’” when talking about something that belongs to multiple Johns.
Remembering this simple rule will make you sound smart when writing or speaking. And now that you understand how to use “John’s,” “Johns’,” and “Johns,” you can make your writing clearer and more correct!
