The Fastest SAT Shortcut
When you see answer choices like:
- readers
- reader's
- readers'
Do NOT stare at the apostrophes.
Do NOT ask yourself:
"Which one looks right?"
Instead ask:
Question 1
Are we talking about one thing or more than one thing?
Examples:
- one reader
- many readers
Question 2
Does that noun own the next noun?
Examples:
- reader's book
- readers' books
Ask:
Who owns the book?
The reader owns the book.
Ownership means an apostrophe is required.
What SAT Writers Love to Do
The SAT often hides the ownership relationship inside a long scientific or historical passage.
Example:
During the late Renaissance, many ______ workshops relied heavily on apprentices...
Ignore the history.
Ask:
Who owns the workshops?
The artists own the workshops.
Now ask:
One artist or many artists?
The word "many" tells us there are multiple artists.
Therefore:
artists'
Multiple owners = s'
The Ownership Test
Whenever you are stuck, try inserting:
belongs to
Example:
the artists' workshops
becomes
the workshops belong to the artists
Correct.
Example:
the instrument's coating
becomes
the coating belongs to the instrument
Correct.
Example:
artists workshops
becomes
the workshops belong to the artists
Ownership exists.
An apostrophe is required.
Therefore:
artists is wrong.
Plural vs. Possessive Drill
Objective
Use the One or Many? and Who Owns What? questions to quickly identify whether a noun should be:
- plural (
s) - singular possessive (
's) - plural possessive (
s')
For each question:
- Ask: One or many?
- Ask: Does it own the next noun?
- Choose the correct answer.
Question 1
Dr. Gabriel’s study revealed that the unique __________ reflective coating allows the rover to withstand the harsh Martian atmosphere without degrading.
A) instruments
B) instrument's
C) instruments'
D) instruments's
Question 2
During the late Renaissance, many __________ workshops relied heavily on apprentices to paint the background landscapes of large-scale portraits.
A) artists
B) artist's
C) artists'
D) artists's
Question 3
The paleontological team discovered that the __________ fossilized jawbones exhibited structural adaptations specifically suited for crushing thick-shelled mollusks.
A) organisms
B) organism's
C) organisms'
D) organisms's
Question 4
Despite its delicate appearance, the Monarch __________ wings are covered in thousands of microscopic scales that repel water and retain heat during long-distance flights.
A) butterfly's
B) butterflies
C) butterflies'
D) butterflys'
Question 5
The university archivist spent several weeks restoring the __________ handwritten correspondence before the exhibit opened to the public.
A) author's
B) authors
C) authors'
D) authors's
Question 6
The marine biologists observed that the __________ migration routes had shifted significantly over the past decade.
A) whales
B) whale's
C) whales'
D) whales's
Question 7
Each of the __________ conclusions was supported by multiple independent experiments.
A) scientist's
B) scientists
C) scientists'
D) scientists's
Question 8
The museum's newest exhibit highlights the __________ contributions to early astronomical navigation.
A) sailors
B) sailor's
C) sailors'
D) sailors's
Question 9
The software engineer reviewed the __________ performance metrics before approving the update.
A) device's
B) devices
C) devices'
D) devic'es
Question 10
Researchers found that the __________ nesting grounds were increasingly threatened by coastal erosion.
A) birds
B) bird's
C) birds'
D) birds's
Question 11
The expedition relied on the __________ maps to navigate the remote mountain passes.
A) explorer's
B) explorers
C) explorers'
D) explorers's
Question 12
The committee reviewed the __________ recommendations before issuing its final report.
A) consultant's
B) consultants
C) consultants'
D) consultants's
Question 13
The veterinarian examined the __________ feeding habits to determine the cause of the illness.
A) animal's
B) animals
C) animals'
D) animals's
Question 14
The historian analyzed the __________ letters to better understand daily life during the revolution.
A) soldier's
B) soldiers
C) soldiers'
D) soldiers's
Question 15
The engineering team improved the __________ safety features after several rounds of testing.
A) vehicle's
B) vehicles
C) vehicles'
D) vehicles's
Answer Key & Explanations
1. B) instrument's
One instrument owns the coating.
2. C) artists'
Many artists own the workshops.
3. C) organisms'
Multiple organisms own the jawbones.
4. A) butterfly's
One butterfly owns the wings.
5. A) author's
One author owns the correspondence.
6. C) whales'
Multiple whales own the migration routes.
7. A) scientist's
Each refers to one scientist at a time.
8. C) sailors'
Multiple sailors contributed to navigation.
9. A) device's
One device owns the performance metrics.
10. C) birds'
Multiple birds own the nesting grounds.
11. C) explorers'
Multiple explorers own the maps.
12. C) consultants'
Multiple consultants own the recommendations.
13. A) animal's
One animal's feeding habits are being examined.
14. C) soldiers'
Multiple soldiers own the letters.
15. A) vehicle's
One vehicle owns the safety features.
SAT Shortcut Reminder
Ask two questions:
Question 1
One or many?
Question 2
Does it own the next noun?
Then apply:
- s = plural only
- 's = one owner
- s' = multiple owners
- it's = it is
- its = possessive
SAT Warning: Irregular Plurals
Most plural nouns end in s:
- student → students
- scientist → scientists
- whale → whales
But some plural nouns change completely.
Common Examples
Singular | Plural |
child | children |
person | people |
man | men |
woman | women |
mouse | mice |
goose | geese |
tooth | teeth |
foot | feet |
The Ownership Rule Still Works
Just because the plural doesn't end in s doesn't mean the apostrophe rules change.
Ask the same two questions:
One or Many?
Does It Own Something?
One Child Owns Something
the child's backpack
One child.
One owner.
Use 's.
Multiple Children Own Something
the children's backpacks
Multiple children.
Multiple owners.
Still use 's because the plural does not already end in s.
One Person Owns Something
the person's notes
Multiple People Own Something
the people's votes
Again:
The plural word does not end in s, so ownership is still formed with 's.
SAT Shortcut
If the plural already ends in s
Add only an apostrophe:
students → students'
scientists → scientists'
If the plural does NOT end in s
Add 's
children → children's
people → people's
women → women's
men → men's
Quick Drill
Choose the correct form:
1
The __________ toys were scattered across the classroom.
A) childrens
B) children's
C) childrens'
D) childs'
Answer: B
Multiple children own the toys.
2
The museum displayed several artifacts illustrating the __________ roles during the industrial revolution.
A) womens
B) women's
C) womens'
D) woman's
Answer: B
Multiple women.
Plural does not end in s.
Add 's.
3
The city council debated the __________ concerns regarding public transportation.
A) peoples
B) people's
C) peoples'
D) person's
Answer: B
Multiple people.
Plural does not end in s.
Add 's.
The Rule to Memorize
Plural ending in s?
→ add '
students'
scientists'
artists'
Plural NOT ending in s?
→ add 's
children's
people's
women's
men's