Basics: Possessive 's and Of
This challenge contains 12 questions at easy difficulty covering Basics: Possessive 's and Of. Test your knowledge with a mix of question formats!
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Correct Answers
The correct answers are The roof of the house was covered in bats. and The house's roof was covered in bats.
For inanimate objects (things that aren't alive, like a house), it is very common and natural to use an "of" phrase (the roof of the house).
However, using 's (the house's roof) is also grammatically correct and widely used in modern English. You must include the apostrophe before the "s" because "house" is singular!
Complete the annoyed customer's complaint about a delivery. Select the grammatically correct phrase.
"When I lifted the heavy package, the _____ completely fell out!"
The correct answer is bottom of the box.
For inanimate objects (things that aren't alive, like a box), we generally use the of structure to show possession or parts, rather than an apostrophe and "s". We say "the bottom of the box" instead of "the box's bottom."
The tenant's dog chewed the living room carpet. Furthermore, the leg of the table in the dining area is completely broken.
We generally use 's for people and animals (the tenant's dog).
For things and inanimate objects, we usually use of (the leg of the table).
The correct answers are The children's toys are scattered everywhere. and The toys of the children are scattered everywhere.
"Children" is an irregular plural noun (it means more than one child, but it doesn't end in "s"). To make it possessive, we treat it like a singular noun and add 's (children's).
Using the preposition "of" (the toys of the children) is also a perfectly valid way to show possession!
The manager's espresso is the one with three extra shots. Those three students' lattes belong to the group in the corner. Finally, the children's hot chocolates are cooling down on the counter.
For a singular person, add 's (manager's).
For a regular plural noun that already ends in -s, just add an apostrophe (students').
For an irregular plural noun that does not end in -s, add 's (children's).
Complete the exhausted shopper's question to the mall security guard. Choose the correctly punctuated word.
"I have been walking in circles for an hour. Could you please tell me where the _____ shoe department is?"
The correct answer is children's.
"Children" is an irregular plural noun (it is already plural, but it doesn't end in "s"). To make it possessive, we treat it just like a singular noun and add an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s).
Complete the alien's field notes about human belongings. Choose the correct phrase for each blank.
I sat on the hood of the car to observe the humans. Suddenly, I watched the two sisters' backpacks fall to the ground.
I sat on the hood of the car to observe the humans.
"Car" is an inanimate object, so we usually use the "of" phrase (the hood of the car) instead of an apostrophe.
Suddenly, I watched the two sisters' backpacks fall to the ground.
For a regular plural noun that ends in "s" (sisters), we only add an apostrophe at the very end to show possession.
Help the new barista correctly label these complicated coffee orders. Choose the correct words to complete her thoughts.
This huge order of hot chocolate is for the children's soccer team. My manager told me to write the names on the bottom of the cup.
This huge order of hot chocolate is for the children's soccer team.
"Children" is an irregular plural noun that doesn't end in "s". To make it possessive, we add 's just like we would for a singular noun.
My manager told me to write the names on the bottom of the cup.
"Cup" is an inanimate object, so it is much more natural to use "of" to show its parts (the bottom of the cup).
Help Detective Paws write down the clues from the messy living room. Choose the correct phrase for each gap to complete his report.
First, he noticed a deep scratch on the leg of the table. Next, he carefully dusted the dog's collar for fingerprints.
First, he noticed a deep scratch on the leg of the table.
For things and inanimate objects (like a table), we generally use the "of" structure rather than an apostrophe.
Next, he carefully dusted the dog's collar for fingerprints.
For people and animals, we use 's to show possession.
Help the nervous new employee ask for directions. Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentence.
"Excuse me, I need to deliver these top-secret files to the _____."
The correct answer is manager's office.
When talking about something that belongs to a person (like a manager), we use an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s).
"Managers office" is missing the apostrophe, and "office's manager" changes the meaning entirely!
The correct answers are The zombies' moans kept us awake all night. and The moans of the zombies kept us awake all night.
To show possession for a regular plural noun that ends in "s" (like zombies), we just add an apostrophe at the end (zombies').
We can also use an "of" phrase (the moans of the zombies) to show that the moans belong to them!
Today's flight was delayed by three terrifying hours! I spent the whole time staring at the back of the seat in front of me.
Time expressions are an exception to the "no 's for things" rule! We say today's flight, tomorrow's weather, or yesterday's news.
For standard inanimate objects and their parts, we use of (the back of the seat, the top of the page).
Possessive
Noun possessive vs pronoun possessive: nouns ADD an apostrophe for possession (Sarah's, students'). Pronouns NEVER use apostrophes (its, yours, theirs — no apostrophe). This contradiction is why its/it's is the most common error in English writing.
The possessive marks ownership: 's for singular nouns, s' for plural nouns ending in s, and special pronoun forms (my/mine, their/theirs).
Diagnostic: is it a noun? → add 's or s'. Is it a pronoun? → use the built-in possessive form (NO apostrophe). Specifically its (possessive) vs it's (it is).
Noun
Noun vs verb: the two core word classes. Nouns name things; verbs describe actions/states. Many English words can be both (run, play, cook, work) — only the sentence slot tells you which role it's playing. The run was exhausting (noun) vs I run every day (verb).
A noun names an entity. It interacts with articles, determiners, forms plurals, and controls verb agreement and pronoun choice.
Diagnostic: can you put the/a before it or pluralise it? → noun. Does it describe an action with tense? → verb. Can it do both? → check the sentence context.
English Grammar Basics
Basics vs intermediate/advanced grammar: if you're unsure whether to study articles or conditionals, tense basics or reported speech — you need to check whether your foundations are solid first. Basics covers everything up to A2.
English Grammar Basics groups the core building blocks: nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, present/past tenses, questions, and negation.
Diagnostic: if you still hesitate over she don't vs she doesn't, or a vs an — start here. Master these and intermediate topics stop feeling random.
A1 | Elementary | Beginners
A1 vs A2: A1 covers isolated survival phrases (Where is…?, I am…, How much?). A2 handles connected sentences about familiar routines and simple past events. If you can manage short fixed phrases but not string together original sentences about your day, you're still A1.
A1 is the entry level of the CEFR: greetings, introductions, numbers, basic present tense, and core function words.
Diagnostic: can you describe yesterday using past tense? No → A1. Yes → you're moving into A2.
Easy
Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.
The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.
Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.