Learn how plural possessive nouns work, using My friends' parents as an example.

Outline at a glance

• Opening hook: tiny punctuation, big meaning — why apostrophes matter in everyday English.

• What plural possessives really are, with a simple rule you can carry into daily writing.

• Break down the four answer choices from the example and spot where they go wrong.

• Practical takeaways: quick rules and real-life examples to keep handy.

• A few quick drills you can try in everyday writing to build confidence.

Let’s start with a little grammar moment that sneaks into everyday talk

Apostrophes are small, but they carry a big job. They’re not just pretty punctuation; they signal ownership or a missing letter. When you’re typing an email, jotting a note to a friend, or answering a quick question on a quiz, getting apostrophes right can make your meaning crystal clear. In the English section of the Accuplacer, you’ll see this little mark pop up in questions about possessives and plural nouns. It’s not about chasing perfection; it’s about clarity, ease of reading, and that quiet confidence you feel when you know you’ve nailed the basics.

Let’s unpack a specific example that often trips people up

Here’s a straightforward question you might encounter:

Which of the following examples correctly illustrates a plural possessive noun?

A. My friends' parents

B. My friend's parent

C. Friend's parents

D. Friends parents'

Think about ownership and number at the same time. The phrase you’re looking for should show ownership by more than one person, and it should clearly attach that ownership to the plural group.

• The correct choice is A: My friends' parents.

• Why? Because “friends” is plural (more than one friend). The apostrophe after the “s” marks possession by that whole group. So the parents belong to multiple friends, not just one.

• The other options miss the mark for one reason or another:

• B, “My friend's parent,” shows ownership by a single friend. It uses the singular “friend” with the apostrophe-s, which signals one owner.

• C, “Friend's parents,” also shows one owner—just one friend—who has multiple parents.

• D, “Friends parents',” looks like it’s aiming to show multiple owners but misplaces the apostrophe. It doesn’t clearly mark who owns what, and it’s simply not the conventional way to express plural possessive.

Let me explain the tiny rule that makes this click

A good way to internalize this is to separate the ideas: number (singular vs. plural) and possession (whose stuff is it?). Here’s the clean rule, in plain terms:

• If the noun is plural and already ends with an s, add only an apostrophe after the s to show possession (the students’ desks, the dogs’ bone).

• If the noun is singular, add ’s to show possession (the teacher’s notes, the student’s backpack).

• If the noun is an irregular plural (children, men, women) and you want to show possession, add ’s to the plural form (the children’s games, the men’s hats).

• If you have a compound phrase, apply the possessive to the main noun (my sister-in-law’s car, the reporter for the team’s newsletter).

In our example, “friends” is plural and ends with s, so we add only an apostrophe: friends’ to show that the parents belong to the group of friends.

Why getting this right actually matters in daily writing

• It reduces ambiguity. If you say “My friends' parents,” readers understand immediately whose parents are being talked about.

• It sounds natural. People read, subconsciously, with a sense that the sentence is well-formed. That boosts confidence in your communication, whether you’re writing a short email or contributing to a class discussion.

• It saves time. Once you memorize the simple rule, you don’t have to pause and rethink every time you need a possessive.

Common traps that sneak into everyday writing (and how to dodge them)

• Confusing singular and plural ownership. If you mean one friend, use “my friend’s parent.” If you mean several friends, use “my friends’ parents.” A quick mental check is to test with “one” or “more than one.” Does “friend” feel right as a group or as a single owner?

• Overusing or misplacing the apostrophe. It’s easy to slide into “Friends’ parent” or “Friend’s parents’.” The beginner mistake is placing the apostrophe after the plural owner or sticking it in the wrong place. The key is that the apostrophe goes after the owner’s form, not after the thing owned.

• Missing the reader-friendly rhythm. Sometimes people pile multiple possessives in a single sentence and the phrase becomes heavy. Breaking it into two chunks or rephrasing helps keep reading smooth.

A quick, practical checklist you can keep in your mind (and on a sticky note)

• Identify the owner: who possesses what?

• Is the owner singular or plural?

• If plural and ending with s, place the apostrophe after the s.

• If singular, add ’s.

• For irregular plurals, add ’s to the plural form.

• Read it aloud. Does it roll off the tongue, or does it feel clunky?

A few real-life examples to anchor the rule

• The students’ notebooks sit on the shelf. (plural students)

• The teacher’s plan was clear. (singular teacher)

• The babies’ toys are in the basket. (irregular plural babies—note the plural form “babies” plus ’)

• The women’s coats hung near the door. (irregular plural women—plus ’s on the plural form)

• My sister-in-law’s car keys disappeared. (compound noun with ownership placed on the main noun)

Bringing this into the Accuplacer English section without turning it into a head-scratcher

If you’re looking to feel confident during the English section, a simple grasp of possessives goes a long way. It’s the kind of knowledge you can apply fast, with little thinking time, which is a real advantage when you’re focused on time and accuracy. Think of it as a stepping-stone skill: once you’re comfortable with plural possessives, you’ll glide through questions that test sentence structure, punctuation, and clarity.

Here are a few bite-sized tips that fit neatly into everyday study conversations, without turning the topic into a big drill session:

• Read a sentence once aloud, focusing on the flow of possessive phrases. If the sentence stumbles, there’s a good chance the possessive needs tweaking.

• If you’re unsure, try swapping in a single owner for the phrase and test whether the sentence still sounds right.

• Use brief, real-world sentences as mini practice items. For example: “The students’ backpacks are on the bus.” If you’re comfortable with this, you’re probably solid with the rule.

A tiny tangent about language in daily life (and why these details really matter)

When you’re texting a friend or writing a quick note to a group, small punctuation choices shape how your message lands. A well-placed apostrophe can save a reader from pausing, rereading, or guessing what you meant. In casual chats, punctuation also signals tone—polite emphasis, light humor, or a straightforward statement. The English section of the Accuplacer doesn’t require you to be a perfectionist, but it does reward neat, readable writing. That’s a win, because clear writing often translates to clearer thinking in any subject you tackle.

A few more practical angles that often get overlooked

• Beyond possessives, memory aids help with many grammar questions. For instance, short vowel sounds, sentence fragments, and comma usage frequently show up in various forms. When you have a quick rule you can apply, you’re less prone to getting stuck on a tough item.

• Your daily notes can become unseen practice. Jot down a sentence about a random topic and check whether your possessives are correct. It’s low-stakes, but it keeps your eye sharp.

• Remember that context matters. If a sentence is about a group of people and something related to them, a plural possessive is often the right path. If it’s about a single person, switch to singular ownership.

Final thoughts: small rules, big clarity

Mastering plural possessives is less about memorizing a dozen obscure exceptions and more about embracing a simple pattern you can apply in real life. When you read or write, that tiny apostrophe is a bookmark that marks ownership and flows you toward clearer communication. It’s the same sort of “aha” moment you feel when you finally fix a tricky sentence and realize you’ve just made your point a little stronger.

If you’re ever unsure, you can run a quick mental test: does the phrase denote ownership by one person or by a group? If it’s a group, expect to see an apostrophe after the s in the plural noun. If it’s one person, the apostrophe goes before the s. This quick litmus test saves you from getting tangled in the weeds.

To wrap it up, the example we started with—My friends' parents—will feel second nature once you’ve got the rules in your back pocket. It’s a clean, precise way to say who owns what, with just a tiny mark that carries a lot of weight. In everyday writing, small, correct choices add up. They keep your sentences readable, your ideas clear, and your confidence intact as you move through the English section of the Accuplacer and beyond.

If you want a quick recap: plural possessives use an apostrophe after the plural noun ending in s, whereas singular possessives take ’s. Irregular plurals get ’s on the plural form. Practice with a few real-world sentences, and you’ll find these patterns become almost automatic—like riding a bike, but with punctuation. And when you glide through those questions, you’ll feel a quiet sense of proficiency that makes the whole task feel a little less daunting and a lot more manageable.