Possession and noun modifiers

Look at these examples to see how we use possessives and noun modifiers.

an office chair
today's busy world
the corner of the room

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Grammar C1: Possession and noun modifiers: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Possession with 's

We use apostrophes to show that something belongs to a person or an animal. We use 's for singular nouns and ' for plural nouns ending in s.

Nelson Mandela's words 
the dogs' blankets 
people's busy working days

We don't usually use 's with things. We either use of or a noun modifier.

The door of the house (NOT the house's door)
The door handle (NOT the door's handle)

However, we can use 's with things:

• when we're talking about a place or group made up of people

different countries' lifestyles
our school's cafeteria
the government's new policies

• with some time expressions

in today's busy world
last week's meeting
a day's journey

• with the word 'life'.

life's stresses and pressures
life's daily challenges
life's little pleasures

Possession with of

For things, ideas, etc. we usually use of between two nouns to show possession. 

in different parts of the world
the lifestyles of other cultures
the demands of daily life

We normally use of to talk about position or to say which part of something we are referring to. This is true with phrases such as the beginning of, the end of, the top of, the side of, etc. 

the middle of winter
the front of the house

's or of?

Sometimes, both 's and of are possible.

others' work and achievements
the work and achievements of others

In these cases, it is a matter of the writer's or speaker's preference in that particular context. 

Noun modifiers

We often use two nouns together, using the first noun as an adjective. The first noun is called a noun modifier. We do NOT use a possessive form for them. The first noun and second noun sometimes become one word.

a film night (NOT a film's night)
the winter months (NOT the winter's months)
a city bus (NOT a city's bus)
an earring (NOT an ear's ring or an ear ring)

We can use noun modifiers to show what something is made of.

a stone bridge
silver earrings

Or they can show that one thing is a part of something else.

the car door
the chair leg

Sometimes we find more than two nouns together.

London interior designers
a home office chair

Measurements, ages and values can also be used as noun modifiers.

a ten-minute break
a four-hundred-year-old tree
a ten-pound note
a fifty-kilometre journey

Note that the words expressing units here are singular, not plural.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

Grammar C1: Possession and noun modifiers: 2