+RULE.—The possessive case of nouns is formed in the singular by adding to the nominative the apostrophe and the letter s ('s); in the plural, by adding (') only. If the plural does not end in s, the apostrophe and the s are both added+.

Write the possessive singular and the possessive plural of the following nouns, and place an appropriate noun after each.

Robin, friend, fly, hero, woman, bee, mouse, cuckoo, fox, ox, man, thief,
fairy, mosquito, wolf, shepherd, farmer, child, neighbor, cow.

Possession may be expressed also by the preposition of and the objective; as, the mosquito's bill = the bill of the mosquito.

The possessive sign ('s) is confined chiefly to the names of persons and animals.

We do not say the chair's legs, but the legs of the chair. Regard must be had also to the sound.

IMPROVE THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS, and expand each into a simple sentence.

The sky's color; the cloud's brilliancy; the rose's leaves; my uncle's
partner's house; George's father's friend's farm; the mane of the horse
of my brother; my brother's horse's mane.

When there are several possessive nouns, all belonging to one word, the possessive sign is added to the last only. If they modify different words, the sign is added to each.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS, and expand each into a simple sentence.

+Model+.—Webster and Worcester's dictionary may be bought at Ticknor's and Field's book-store.

The possessive sign should be added to Webster, for the word dictionary is understood immediately after. Webster and Worcester do not together possess the same dictionary. The sign should not be added to Ticknor, for the two men, Tieknor and Field, possess the same store.

Adam's and Eve's garden; Jacob's and Esau's father; Shakespeare and Milton's works; Maud, Kate, and Clara's gloves; Maud's, Kate's, and Clara's teacher was ——.

When one possessive noun is explanatory of another, the possessive sign is added to the last only.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

I called at Tom's the tinker's.
They listened to Peter's the Hermit's eloquence.
This was the Apostle's Paul's advice.

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING ERRORS.

Our's, your's, hi's, their's, her's, it's, hisn, yourn, hern.