Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (2024)

Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (1)

If you’re confused about how to create the possessive case of a proper noun that ends with an S, you’re not alone! The English language has confusing rules about the right way to spell these proper nouns.

So with a name that ends with an S, like Chris, do you need to include an extra S after the apostrophe, or is just an apostrophe enough?

In American English, you can use Chris’ or Chris’s interchangeably, unless you’re using a specific style guide that prefers one spelling over the other. In British English, Chris’s is the spelling that most people use.

Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (2)

This article will explain whether you should use Chris’ or Chris’s and how to remember this spelling rule.

Contents:

  1. Is It Chris’ or Chris’s?
  2. Examples of Chris’s or Chris’ in Sentences
  3. How to Write the Possessive Form of Chris

Is It Chris’ or Chris’s?

In general, Chris’ and Chris’s are interchangeable spellings, although Chris’s is the more popular choice.

Different style manuals have different rules for how to spell proper names. Most teachers, companies, and publishers have a preferred style guide, so if you’re writing an essay for class, or an article for a company, follow the rules of the specific style guide.

The Associated Press Stylebook says the correct way to write the possessive case of Chris is Chris’, not Chris’s. Other style guides, including the Chicago Manual of Style, say Chris’s is correct.

Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (3)

If there isn’t a specific guidebook you need to follow, you can use either Chris’ or Chris’s.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these two spellings.

When to Use Chris’

The spelling Chris’, where the noun ends with an apostrophe, is an acceptable way to write the possessive form of the name Chris, but it’s rarer than the spelling Chris’s.

If you’re following the rules of the Associated Press Stylebook, you should choose this spelling. AP style requires that any plural noun, including names that end with S, should not include an additional S after the apostrophe.

For example, if you follow AP style, you should write, “You shouldn’t eat Chris’ snacks without his permission.”

The same rule is true for all other single names that end with S, such as James and Tess.

When to Use Chris’s

The spelling Chris’s, with an additional S after the apostrophe, is a more common way to write the possessive form of Chris.

Most style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, recommend that you use an apostrophe and an S to create the possessive form of a singular noun.

Furthermore, Chris’s is usually considered the correct spelling in British English, which uses different style guides than American English.

If you’re writing in British English, or using an American style guide that requires an S after the apostrophe, you should write, “Let’s go to Chris’s house after school.”

When you’re working with plural nouns that end in S, you should never include an additional S after the apostrophe, regardless of which style guide you’re using.

For example, you would write, “My parents marriage lasted forty years.” It would be incorrect to write, “My parents’s marriage lasted forty years,” because parents is a plural noun.

This rule doesn’t apply to singular nouns. Since Chris is a proper noun that refers to a single person, not a group of people, you can use Chris’s or Chris’.

Examples of Chris’s or Chris’ in Sentences

The best way to learn English spelling and grammar is by studying examples. Here are some sentences that include the words Chris’s and Chris’.

  • It was fun talking to you at Chris’s party yesterday.
  • Both of Chris’s cars still look brand new, even though he’s had one of them for years. You should ask him how he keeps them in such good condition.
  • Our team meeting this afternoon will be held in Chris’s office, not in the conference room.
  • I’ve heard that Chris’s parents are much stricter than James’s.
  • Chris’s son is transferring to the high school that my daughter attends. I hope they become friends.
  • Chris’s book club is reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Have you read it?
  • Is that dog James’ or Chris’? Their dogs look almost identical!
  • How do Chris’ cookies always turn out so delicious? Do you know if he uses Tess’ secret recipe?
  • None of us have ever been invited to Chris’ apartment. I wonder why he’s so mysterious about where he lives.
  • Don’t forget that it’s Chris’ birthday tomorrow! You should bring him a present.

How to Write the Possessive Form of Chris

There’s no hard and fast rule about when to use Chris’ and when to use Chris’s.

However, it’s always important to stay consistent within each piece of writing you create. If you’ve used the spelling Chris’s in one paragraph, readers might get confused if you switch to Chris’ in the next paragraph.

Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (4)

If you’re not sure you’ve standardized the spellings in your own work, you can always run your writing through ProWritingAid’s Consistency Report. It will point out and help you correct inconsistencies in your spellings.

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Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (5)

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Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form (2024)

FAQs

Chris’s or Chris’: The Correct Plural Possessive Form? ›

The spelling Chris's, with an additional S after the apostrophe, is a more common way to write the possessive form of Chris. Most style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, recommend that you use an apostrophe and an S to create the possessive form of a singular noun.

How do you make a plural possessive name that ends in s? ›

The possessive case of plural nouns that end in s is formed by adding an apostrophe: This is the boys' bedroom. My parents' house is a lovely old one.

What is the possessive noun of Kris? ›

- Chris is a singular noun therefore singular possessive noun rule will apply and the correct possessive will be Chris's. - However, the Associated Press writing follows the rule that if a singular noun ends with 's' then only ' will be used. Therefore, both the forms are correct.

How do you use a possessive apostrophe after S? ›

If the singular noun ends in “S”, it is usually recommended to add an apostrophe + “S,” whether it's a common or proper noun. The octopus's ability to camouflage was impressive. Charles's flight got delayed.

When to use s or s's? ›

Apostrophes are used to form the possessive form of a singular noun or a plural noun not ending in s by adding ' and an s at the end. If a plural noun ends in s, only ' should be added. Correct: High school students' scores have been gradually improving over the last several years.

Is it Chris's or Chris? ›

The spelling Chris's, with an additional S after the apostrophe, is a more common way to write the possessive form of Chris. Most style guides, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, recommend that you use an apostrophe and an S to create the possessive form of a singular noun.

Is it Jones or Jones's? ›

In terms of the rules of punctuation both are correct. Many people, however, feel that Jones's right is more polite and respectful than Jones' right. When a word ends with “s,” written English will put just an apostrophe and not with a double “s's” That is correct for names and nouns.

What is the possessive case of Chris? ›

In summary, both Chris's and Chris' are acceptable forms for the possessive case of the name Chris. The choice between them depends on the style guide you are following or your personal preference. The traditional rule favors Chris's, while modern usage often simplifies it to Chris'.

What is the plural form of the name Chris? ›

Chrises.” This is the right form because proper names are usually made plural by following the same rules as for pluralizing common nouns. The one rule that applies only to proper names is that you don't change the spelling of the root word when you add the plural ending.

Is it James's or James? ›

Both James' and James's are grammatically correct.

Certain academic writing styles prefer one version over the other, but it doesn't matter which one you use in your regular, written English. Both of the following examples are correct: James' dog is the cutest little thing ever.

How to write plural possessive? ›

Plural Possessive

The possessive is formed in plural nouns by adding “-'s” to the end of words that do not end in “s” and an apostrophe to the end of words that do end in “s.” The apostrophe, or the “-'s” ending, never indicates that the word is plural.

When not to use possessive s? ›

Some words in English do not use an apostrophe to show possession. The major example is “its” as in, “The dog licked its paw.” The paw belongs to the dog. The contraction of “it is” is “it's” and is not possessive. Other words that may denote possession but do not use an apostrophe are your, her, his, my, and their.

How do you make a word plural that ends in s? ›

For a singular noun ending in s, x, ch, sh, or z, add es to form the plural. e.g., virus—viruses tax—taxes match—matches dish—dishes business—businesses sketch—sketches Note: When the ch sounds like a k, just add an s. e.g., stomach—stomachs.

What is the rule for possessive grammar? ›

An apostrophe is used in a possessive form, like Esther's family or Janet's cigarettes, and this is the use of the apostrophe which causes most of the trouble. The basic rule is simple enough: a possessive form is spelled with 's at the end.

What are the three rules for apostrophes? ›

The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols.

How do you use possessive s on names that end with S? ›

If the noun is plural, or already ends in s, just add an apostrophe after the s. For names ending in s, you can either add an apostrophe + s, or just an apostrophe. The first option is more common. When pronouncing a possessive name, we add the sound /z/ to the end of the name.

Is it James or James's? ›

When forming the possessive of singular proper names ending in 's', convention allows for either adding just an apostrophe or an apostrophe plus 's'. While some style guides prefer one over the other, both 'James' and 'James's' are technically correct.

How to pluralize a word ending in s? ›

How to pluralize words ending in S. For the majority of words ending in S, you just add an -es to the end. “Walrus” becomes “walruses,” “bus” becomes “buses,” “class” becomes “classes.” Not too bad.

How do you form a plural possessive noun that doesn't end in s? ›

Alice had two kittens. When they were playing in the kitchen, the kittens' toy went under the refrigerator. An exception to this rule is the possessive of plural nouns that do not end in "s." These are formed by adding an apostrophe and an "s" to the noun: The women's dressing room was very small.

What is an example of a plural possessive? ›

Here's a list of plural possessive pronouns: Our, ours; your, yours; their, theirs. We use these plural possessive pronouns to indicate plural ownership. The example sentences are from the plural possessive pronoun list above: • Our books, mine and Jim's, were on the top bookshelf. The pencils on the table are ours.

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