Grammar / C1 Grammar lessons and exercises / Possession and Noun Modifiers
In English, we can show possession and relationships between nouns in several ways. We can use 's, of, or use one noun as a noun modifier.
an office chair
today's busy world
the corner of the room
We use apostrophes to show that something belongs to a person or an animal.
Singular noun → 's
Plural noun ending in s → '
Nelson Mandela's words
the dogs' blankets
people's busy working days
With things, we normally use of or a noun modifier instead of 's.
✅ The door of the house
❌ the house's door
✅ The door handle
❌ the door's handle
There are some important exceptions.
different countries' lifestyles
our school's cafeteria
the government's new policies
in today's busy world
last week's meeting
a day's journey
life's stresses and pressures
life's daily challenges
life's little pleasures
For things, ideas and abstract concepts, we usually use of between two nouns.
different parts of the world
the lifestyles of other cultures
the demands of daily life
We normally use of when talking about a position or a specific part of something.
the middle of winter
the front of the house
the top of the building
the end of the road
Sometimes both forms are possible. In these cases, the choice can depend on the speaker's or writer's preference.
✅ others' work and achievements
✅ the work and achievements of others
We often put two nouns together. The first noun acts like an adjective and describes the second noun.
noun modifier + main noun
a film night
the winter months
a city bus
an earring
Noun modifiers can show what something is made of:
a stone bridge
silver earrings
They can also show that one thing is part of another:
the car door
the chair leg
English can use several nouns together in one noun phrase.
London interior designers
a home office chair
Measurements, ages and values can also work as noun modifiers.
a ten-minute break
a four-hundred-year-old tree
a ten-pound note
a fifty-kilometre journey
⭐ Important
Units used as noun modifiers stay singular.
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 's | people / animals | Maria's bag |
| of | things / position | the front of the house |
| noun + noun | noun modifier | office chair |
| number + singular unit | measurement modifier | a ten-minute break |