Standard English ConventionsMediumPlural possessive
Standard English Conventions practice question
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The three ____ unanimous decision surprised everyone in the courtroom.
- A. judges
- B. judge's
- C. judges'Correct
- D. judges's
Answer: C. judges'
The decision belongs to multiple judges, so we need the plural possessive: form the plural 'judges' first, then add an apostrophe → 'judges''. Choice B is singular possessive (one judge).
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. judges
- 'Judges' is just the plural — no apostrophe, so it can't show that the decision belongs to them. Ownership requires a possessive form.
- B. judge's
- 'Judge's' is the singular possessive, meaning one judge, but the sentence says 'three judges.' Make the noun plural first, then add the apostrophe.
- D. judges's
- For a plural noun that already ends in -s, you add only an apostrophe — 'judges'' — not an extra 's.'
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