When writing, many people get confused between business’s, business’, and businesses’. Each shows a different possessive form, and knowing which to use depends on whether the noun is singular or plural. As an English teacher, I often see learners puzzled by how style rules like those from AP Style Guides handle possessives differently, especially when it comes to names or singular nouns ending with “s.” For instance, business’s earnings refers to one company and its stock performance, while businesses’ earnings means profits shared by several companies.
To make it clearer, think practically—if you’re talking about one company’s stock, use business’s; if you mean many, then businesses’ fits best. In some style guides, especially AP, you’ll see business’ (without the extra “s”) used for a singular noun ending in “s.” This variation is a matter of preference, not grammar. As a teacher, I advise students to read the next word after the possessive carefully—if it’s something like “earnings” or “stock,” choose the form that matches how many entities you’re describing.
Singular Noun
- When teaching grammar, I often tell students that the most straightforward method to show singular possessives is to add ’s, even if the word ends in ‘s’. For example, the business’s success or the business’s marketing strategy clearly shows ownership. This form is generally preferred in modern English because it’s easy to read and pronounce. However, in formal writing, some styles like AP have a different rule—they find it allowed to write business’ instead, especially after sibilant sounds like “s” or “z.” This makes the sentence sound smoother and slightly more polished.
- As an English teacher, I often give a real-world example: The business’s stock fell, but the business’ succession plan stayed strong. Both are correct, but their use depends on which styles you follow. While the business’s form is the most straightforward method and widely used, the business’ form is less common but still accepted in AP and other formal writing guides. Understanding when each is allowed helps writers maintain clarity and consistency across different professional contexts.
Plural Noun
- When teaching writing, I always remind students that businesses’ is the correct form for the plural possessive, showing ownership by more than one company. In simple terms, if you are talking about many companies that share something—like profits, offices, or goals—you use businesses’. For example, *“The *businesses’ combined earnings were impressive.” This form clearly shows that the earnings belong to several companies, not just one. It’s a small mark, but that final apostrophe after the “s” completely changes the meaning.
- As an English teacher, I find many learners confuse this with business’s, which refers to only one company. The best way to remember the difference is to look at the noun first. If it’s already plural, like businesses, just add an apostrophe at the end. This tiny change signals that multiple entities share the same ownership or quality—something crucial in academic and professional writing. With practice, recognizing when to use businesses’ becomes easy and helps keep your writing clear and correct.
Before we get started, here is a quick overview in case you are short on time:
Many learners get confused when trying to choose between business’s, business’, and businesses’, especially when writing about what a company owns or controls. In simple terms, business’s is the singular possessive form used when one business or noun shows ownership — for example, “the business’s plan was successful.” On the other hand, business’ is an alternate singular possessive form often seen in certain writing styles where the word already ends in ‘s’. While both can be correct, your use depends on the writing guide you follow.
The third form, businesses’, is the plural possessive form, meaning it shows that more than one business or company owns something. For example, “The businesses’ growth strategies differed in style and focus.” Each possessive form has its own purpose, and once you understand the difference between them, you can learn more easily about when to apply each form correctly. As an English teacher, I encourage students to look at whether they are referring to one or many businesses before writing — this simple habit makes grammar clearer and your writing more precise.
Business
As an English teacher, I often tell my students that business has an uncountable meaning when we talk about work or trade in general. For example, we say, “Let’s do business together” or “She went to Japan on business,” not “a business.” In these cases, there is no need to worry about plural form or possessive forms, because the word simply means commercial activity, not a specific company or enterprise. This makes business a singular idea — one that refers to the act of trading, not the traders themselves. Many learners feel curious about when the meaning changes, so I remind them that context is key in English usage.
When you’re referring to a specific online business, or when someone owns different businesses around the world, the plural form becomes businesses. From there, the possessive form depends on number — for one business, we write business’s or business’, and for many, businesses’. These small marks may seem confusing, but they follow a clear logic once you understand what the definition of business implies in each case. Teachers often explain that these differences don’t change the meaning of “trade” itself; they simply show ownership or countability depending on how we use the word in sentences.
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Before we get started, here is a quick overview in case you are short on time:
Many learners get confused about which form of business to use — whether it’s business’s, business’, or businesses’. As an English teacher, I like to explain it in a simple way: Business’s is the singular possessive form, used when one noun (a single business) owns something. For example, “The business’s growth was steady.” On the other hand, business’ is an alternate singular possessive form, often used when a word already ends in “s” to make pronunciation easier. Both are correct, but consistency matters depending on which writing style you follow.
When we move to the plural side, businesses’ is the plural possessive form, showing that several companies share ownership — for instance, “The businesses’ success inspired others.” Once you understand the difference between these three, everything becomes clearer. So, if you’re still unsure, keep reading to learn more about how to apply each form properly in your writing.
What’s the Difference Between, Business’s or Business‘ or Businesses‘?
When teaching English, I often explain the difference between business’s, business’, and businesses’ to my students. It all comes down to possessive forms. The first, business’s, is the singular possessive form. It’s used when one noun (one business) owns something, like “The business’s new marketing strategy worked well.” The second form, business’, is also a singular possessive, but it’s used when a business already ends in “s” to make the word easier to pronounce. This version is acceptable in many informal communications or texts, especially when following a specific style guide.
On the other hand, businesses’ is the plural possessive form, which means more than one business owns something. For example, “The businesses’ profits were shared equally.” Whether you use business’s, business’, or businesses’ often depends on the context, but the truth is that both versions are generally preferable in different settings—one for singular, the other for plural. Use these forms based on your style guide or the tone of your writing.
Businesses – The Plural Form of Business
In English, when we talk about more than one business, we use businesses, which is the plural form of business. This is useful when we’re referring to multiple companies or enterprises. For example, Elon Musk is known for having started many businesses in different fields, such as SpaceX and Tesla. He is an example of someone who owns several businesses, each with its unique focus and growth strategy. Likewise, James’s businesses in the education industry showcase how serial entrepreneurs often start businesses in various areas over the course of their careers.
Understanding when to use businesses is important because it clearly shows that you’re talking about multiple companies rather than just one. For instance, you could say, “The businesses are growing rapidly,” which indicates the expansion of several companies. This form is crucial for entrepreneurs who work across industries or for anyone discussing the plural form of business in their writing.
Business’s
In English, business’s is the singular possessive form used when referring to one business or company that owns something. For example, “The business’s success is inspiring.” This form shows that the success belongs to one specific business. Many style guides, including the Associated Press style guide, suggest adding ’s to the end of a word to indicate possession, even when the word ends in “s.” Some guides might recommend you to omit the extra s, but this is usually for plural possessive forms. So, when referring to one business or company and showing ownership, business’s is the correct choice.
Examples using business’s:
In English, business’s is the singular possessive form used when something belongs to a single business. For example, “The business’s profits were lower than last year.” This shows that the business owns the profits. It can also be used to describe other things the business owns, like its website: “The business’s website is the best place for finding good hotels for Christmas.” Additionally, you might say “The business’s employees had the last three Christmases off,” showing that the business controls the time off for its workers. Understanding business’s helps make writing clearer by showing ownership and possession clearly.
Business’
When writing about a business or company, you can use business’ as the singular possessive form to show ownership. This form is often used when the word ends in “s.” For example, “The business’ goals are focused on expansion.” Here, business’ shows that the goals belong to one business. It’s commonly used in referring to companies or organizations with names that end in “s.” While business’s can also be correct, business’ is generally preferred in certain style guides, especially when aiming for simplicity or ease of pronunciation.
Examples using business’:
When we use business’ as the singular possessive form, it shows that something belongs to a business. For example, “The business’ laptops were performing well in the market.” Here, business’ indicates that the laptops belong to the business. Another example could be “Let’s take a look at the business’ social media accounts to see how they are performing.” This shows ownership of the social media accounts by the business. In both cases, business’ shows possession, making it clear that the items or actions belong to the business.
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Businesses’
The form businesses’ is used as the possessive form for more than one business or company. It shows that something belongs to multiple businesses. For example, “The businesses’ financial accounts are handled effectively by the accounting team.” Here, businesses’ shows that the financial accounts belong to multiple companies. Another example could be “Employees are often considered the most important asset of businesses’ operations.” This shows ownership by several businesses and their recognition of employees as valuable.
Conclusion: Businesses, Business’s or Business’?
When writing about business, it’s important to understand the differences between business’s, business’, and businesses’. The singular possessive form business’s is used when talking about something owned by one business, such as “The business’s strategy.” Meanwhile, business’ is another singular possessive form used for companies that already end in “s,” like “The business’ logo was updated.” For multiple businesses, we use the plural possessive form businesses’ to show ownership across several companies, such as “The businesses’ profits were reported at the meeting.”
If you’re unsure about which form to use, it’s best to be consistent and follow a style guide for clarity. Many style guides will help you determine which form to follow in your text, especially when deciding between business’s and business’. Always make sure that your usage matches the plural form or possessive form you need to convey clear ownership in your writing.
Singular Noun: Business
Singular Possessive: Business’ or Business’s
Plural Noun: Businesses
Plural Possessive: Businesses’
