Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe to indicate possession?

1. The dogs barked in the yard.

2. Shirleys scarf was bright purple.

3. The students' scores were very strong.

4. I will visit it’s old house.

The correct answer is: The students' scores were very strong.

The sentence that correctly uses an apostrophe to indicate possession is one that shows ownership. In this case, the phrase "the students' scores" indicates that the scores belong to multiple students, which makes the use of the apostrophe appropriate. The apostrophe is placed after "students" to signal that the scores are possessed by the group of students. In contrast, one of the other sentences incorrectly uses the apostrophe. For instance, the phrase "Shirley's scarf" would be appropriate if it referred to one student's scarf, but it lacks the apostrophe in the example provided. Additionally, "it’s old house" improperly uses "it’s," which is a contraction for "it is," rather than the possessive form "its." The first sentence, "the dogs barked in the yard," simply states a fact without any possessive structure. Understanding the rules of possessive apostrophes is essential for clarity in writing.