Most writers are familiar with apostrophes. However, an extra level of complexity is added when dealing with nouns in the plural form & plural possessive form. In this article, we will example the correct plural possessive form of the word business. Read on to find out if the correct spelling is business’s or business’!
Which Spelling Is Correct: Business’s or Business’?
We know that learning how to use apostrophes can be difficult for new & experienced writers. This is especially true when it comes to the plural form of the word business.
- Business’s – Singular possessive form of the word business. This spelling is used to show that a singular business has ownership of something.
- Business’ – Plural possessive form of the word business.
Takeaway: The correct spelling of the singular or plural form of the word business depends on the sentence context.
How To Use Business’s
The word “business’s” is the singular possessive form of the word business. It is used to show that something belongs to a specific company or business.
Sentence Examples
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word business’s in your writing.
- The business’s revenue increased by 20% this quarter, thanks to strategic marketing campaigns.
- The business’s expansion plans include opening three new branches in different cities.
- The business’s customer service team strives to provide prompt and efficient assistance to all clients.
However, as we saw in our post about the difference between the words vendor or vender, spelling matters. So pay close attention to your spelling & punctuation!
How To Use Business’
The word business’ is the plural possessive form of the word business. For new writers, it may look odd that the apostrophe is after the -S. It is used to show that something belongs to multiple businesses. Below are some examples of how to use the possessive plural form correctly.
Sentence Examples
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word business’ in your writing.
- The employees of the business’ main office were thrilled to receive bonuses for their hard work.
- The investors were impressed by the business’ strong financial performance and decided to increase their stake.
- The business’ website underwent a complete redesign to enhance user experience and attract more visitors.
Just like we saw in our analysis of the words Brasillian and Brazilian, even small spelling mistakes can make a major difference in a sentence.
What About Businesses?
Businesses is the plural form of the word business. This word does NOT indicate possession & does not contain any punctuation.
The word businesses is used to mean more than one business. For example, “Mark Cuban owns many businesses!”
Sentence Examples
Here are sentence examples demonstrating how to use the word businesses in your writing.
- Local businesses play a vital role in supporting the economy of our community.
- The government implemented policies to encourage the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurship.
- Many businesses have embraced digital transformation to stay competitive in today’s rapidly changing market.
Popularity Analysis
By analyzing the data from Google Ngram Viewer you can see that business’ is the more popular term. However, the correct spelling & punctuation depends on the context of the specific sentence.
But just like we learned in our post about the 10 Basic English Grammar Rules, punctuation mistakes are common. New writers often makes mistakes when it comes to using apostrophes!
Rules For Possessive Apostrophes
Here is a list of different possessive apostrophe rules that need to be followed.
- Singular nouns: To indicate possession for a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an “s” at the end of the word.
- Plural nouns: For regular plural nouns, add only an apostrophe after the “s” at the end of the word to show possession.
- Plural nouns not ending in “s”: For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s”to show possession.
- Joint possession: If two or more people possess something together, add an apostrophe + “s”.
- Indefinite pronouns: To show possession with indefinite pronouns such as “one,” “someone,” or “everyone,” add an apostrophe and an “s”.
- Names ending in “s”: When a singular proper noun ends in “s,” you can either add an apostrophe and an “s” or just an apostrophe after the name.
Add these rules to your proofreading checklist to avoid making simple punctuation mistakes. However, you should remember that these are general rules & there are always exceptions such as when to use apostrophes after -Z amongst other rules!
Synonyms For Business
Here is a list of synonyms for the word “business”. Consider using these words to add variety to your writing and word choice.
- Company
- Enterprise
- Firm
- Corporation
- Organization
- Establishment
Frequently Asked Questions
The spelling “business’s is correct when trying to indicate the singular possessive form of the word business. For example, “the business’s revenue decreased significantly during the holiday season.”
Business is a singular noun and business’s is the singular possessive form of business. Adding the -‘S shows ownership.
Company’s is the correct singular possessive form. The spelling “companies” is the plural form to indicate more than one business.
The Bottom Line
By now, you should have a clear understanding of the difference between businesses, business’s, and business’. Although these are all very similar forms of the word business, they have different meanings. Instead of trying to memorize, you should understand the context of your writing in order to pick the correct spelling. Even a small spelling & punctuation change can totally modify the meaning of a word or phrase! If you need extra help with grammar & punctuation rules, consider using our Grammar Check Tool to make things easy!
