In general, to form a possessive of a singular noun (regardless of whether it ends in s) or a plural noun that doesn't end in s, add 's to the end of the word. For a plural noun that does end in s, add an apostrophe but no additional s.
Examples of correct possessives
- alias's
- application's
- business's
- class's
- customer's
- Elvis's
- Liz's
- user's (singular); users' (plural)
- Elise Williams's
- the Williamses'
- women's
Examples of incorrect possessives
- businesses's
- Buzz'
- Carlos'
- class'
- examples's
- users's
- values's
Exception: The possessive of it is a special case because it doesn't take an apostrophe.
Recommended as possessive: Each component has its own set of traits.
However, the contraction of "it is" takes an apostrophe.
Recommended as contraction: It's preferable when accuracy isn't as important.
Company- and product-name possessives
To form the possessive of a company name, add 's to the end of the name. Avoid forming a possessive with a product name, regardless of who owns the product name.
Examples
Recommended: Google's new office is nearby.
Not recommended: Search's capabilities are vast.
Recommended: The capabilities of Search are vast.