Problem 3 - 8 Practice Tests for the ACT 3rd

Question

A. NO CHANGE B. our schools' C. our school's D. ours school

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

C. our school's

Step 1: Understand the Sentence Structure

Identify the possessive noun in the context of 'schools’. It signifies that something belongs to the school.

Step 2: Review Possessive Form Rules

Recall that the possessive form of singular nouns is created by adding an apostrophe + 's' ( 's ), while the possessive form of plural nouns ending in 's' is created by adding just an apostrophe ( ' ).

Step 3: Analyze Each Option

Consider each option given: A. NO CHANGE - This assumes the original text is correct as is.B. 'our schools'' - Indicates possession by a single school but incorrectly places the apostrophe at the end. C. 'our school's' - Indicates possession by a single school, which is the correct singular possessive form. D. 'ours school' - This is incorrect as 'ours' is a pronoun and should not precede a noun.

Step 4: Choose the Correct Answer

Given the rules of possessive forms and the options provided, identify that the correct form for singular possessive is 'our school's'.

Key Concepts

singular possessive

When we want to show that something belongs to a single person, animal, or thing, we use a singular possessive noun. This is done by adding an apostrophe followed by the letter 's' to the end of the noun.

For example:

• The cat's toy
• The teacher's book
• Our school's mascot

In each of these examples, the noun is singular (cat, teacher, school), and the apostrophe + 's' indicates ownership or possession.

plural possessive

Plural possessive nouns show that something belongs to more than one person, animal, or thing. For nouns that are already plural and end with an 's', you only need to add an apostrophe at the end.

For example:

• The cats' toys
• The teachers' books
• The schools' mascots

Notice that the possession is clearly indicated just by adding an apostrophe to the end of the plural nouns (cats, teachers, schools). There’s no need to add another 's'.

apostrophe usage

Apostrophes are used for forming possessives and contractions. To form possessives, use the following rules:

• For singular nouns, add 's (even if the noun ends in 's').
  Example: The bus's wheels.
• For plural nouns ending in 's', add only an apostrophe.
  Example: The buses' schedules.
• For plural nouns not ending in 's', add 's.
  Example: The children's toys.

For contractions, apostrophes replace the omitted letters. For example:

• Do not becomes don't.
• It is becomes it's.
• They are becomes they're.

Proper apostrophe usage is essential for clear and correct communication. Mixing up these rules can create confusion and misinterpretation.