One unique component of the English language is its use of apostrophes. You might call them the “commas of the sky.”
When you use an apostrophe with a word, the goal is to create the communication of possession or make a contraction out of two or more words. That means if Sally has a ball, you would say that it is “Sally’s ball.”
If Bob owns a computer, you would call it “Bob’s computer.”
If “they have” something, you could say that “they’ve” got ownership of it.
The apostrophe rules after a plural noun are different. That’s when you would put it after the “s” in the word.
Years’ or Year’s or Years – What’s the Difference?
When comparing years’ vs. year’s vs. years, you have two possessive declarations and one pluralized noun. For “years’”, the structure is meant for a plural possessive. With “year’s,” you have a singular possessive. When you say “years,” it is simply a plural noun without possessive indications.
The easiest way to think about the differences between years’, year’s, and years is to think about the description and what (if anything) it possesses.
With the first option, we must combine more than one year into a noun. That block of two or more years must then possess something to have the apostrophe come after the “s.”
“My mortgage company requires me to give two years’ notice before I can refinance my home.”
In the example sentence above, the noun described is plural and possessive. That’s why the apostrophe comes after the “s.” If we only used “years” in the sentence, the possessiveness would disappear, altering the sentence’s meaning to the reader.
Here’s another example that you might see online or in other places today.
“This position requires five years’ experience, a four-year degree, and two years of direct employment.”
In the second example, the first “years” receives an apostrophe at the end because it is possessive. It is the owner of the experience in that description. The second “years” is only plural because it describes multiple years and the action it requires.
That means you could say “this position five years of experience” and also be correct.
Seeing the apostrophe at the end of a plural possessive can feel awkward or odd. If you want to avoid that issue in your writing, you can add the word “of” to remove the need for it in the sentence.
Instead of saying, “two years’ time” or “four weeks’ notice,” you could say “two years of time” or “four weeks of notice.”
What About Using Year as a Singular Possessive?
Any noun can possess something. When that action occurs in a sentence, we add an apostrophe with an “s” to indicate that fact.
“In a year’s time, I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes.”
In the example, the noun “year” has possession of “time,” which is why it receives an apostrophe before the “s.”
If we were to describe multiple years for that sentence, the apostrophe would go after the “s.”
“In two years’ time, I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes.”
We can also structure the sentence to have it begin with an introductory phrase that eliminates the item being possessed without changing the meaning of what gets conveyed. Although it isn’t always wise to structure your writing or conversations with this technique, it is considered appropriate if it doesn’t make the statement awkward.
“In two years, I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes.”
Since all three examples in this section start with a preposition, you can also switch the sentence around if this structure feels awkward.
“I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes in two years.”
“I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes in two year’s time.”
“I hope to have mastered all the rules about apostrophes in a year’s time.”
Although all the sentences say about the same thing (minus the one year vs. two years communicated), it is up to the author or speaker to use their preferred style. Some people like to use an introductory phrase, while others prefer to eliminate the comma whenever possible.
◼️ Why Do These Rules Apply to Possessive Nouns?
Possessive nouns denote ownership. They are also helpful for detailing attributes or aspects to readers or listeners.
The possessive noun is almost always placed in front of the item it owns when constructing a sentence.
Most plural nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe to the end of the word. A few words are different based on their pluralization, such as goose vs. geese. You would say “goose’s” or “geese’” to describe ownership in those situations.
If you don’t like using the apostrophe, you can eliminate it from your sentences. It just makes the information feel wordy or less precise when taking that step.
Ultimately, it is up to you as the author or speaker to determine what feels right or sounds good when conveying information to others. That’s why years’ vs. year’s vs. years is essential to know, even when discussing other nouns.
When Should I Use Singular or Plural Possessives in Sentences?
Noun possessives communicate information to readers or listeners about ownership. They should get included whenever there is ambiguity about who owns an item, idea, or concept. This grammatical item should not get used when there isn’t any possession getting described.
You might study the English language for several years. That means the first year’s study habits often define how fast you pick up the different constructs and rules for documenting this language. After five years’ experience with writing and speaking it, you can typically remember most of the tricky rules to follow.
That’s why understanding how apostrophes indicate possession is crucial to know how the English language focuses on communication precision. If you misplace or eliminate the “comma in the sky” from a noun with possession, you’ll change the entire meaning of what you’re trying to say.
