Apostrophes

Upper Primary 6 questions

What apostrophes means

You use apostrophes to show who owns something and to form shortened words. This helps you write clear sentences and avoid confusion when you meet them in reading and test questions.

What you will practise

Show possession with one owner and one thing.
Show possession with more than one owner.
Choose correct contractions for common verbs.
Spot where the apostrophe must not be used.

Before you start

You should already be able to spell simple nouns and plural nouns. You also need to know common words such as is, are, do and not.

Not confident yet? Work through Using commas first.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

Which is correct?

The dogs bone
The dog's bone
The dogs' bone's
The dogs bone's

Answer: The dog's bone

Working: One dog owning a bone needs an apostrophe before the s: "dog's".

Common mistakes to avoid

Putting the apostrophe after the s in singular possession. Write dog's, not dogs'.
Forgetting that some plurals need apostrophe plus s. Children becomes children's when something belongs to them.
Using an apostrophe in ordinary plurals. Do not write apples' when you only mean more than one apple.
Mixing up contractions and possession. Check whether the word means ownership or a shortened phrase.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 4 to 6 syllabusGroundwork for the BECE

In Upper Primary, this usually appears in punctuation work alongside other sentence skills such as commas and correct spelling. It supports school-based assessment and builds a strong base for BECE writing and language questions.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.