The word man’s is the singular possessive form of man. E.g., “The man’s hat is stylish.” Furthermore, men’s is the plural possessive form. E.g., “The men’s meeting was productive.” Also, men is the standard plural of man. E.g., “The men gathered for the conference.”
The following chart provides a summary of the different forms of man.
| Form | Example Sentence |
| Singular | Man |
| Plural | Men |
| Singular possessive | Man’s |
| Plural possessive | Men’s |
You can make the plural form by changing “a” to “e” in man.
Furthermore, you can make the singular possessive by inserting an apostrophe and an “s” after man. In comparison, the plural possessive is made by adding an apostrophe and an “s” to the end of men.
In the following examples, you can see the different forms of the word man in context:
- Singular: I saw a man jogging in the park.
- Plural: The men decided to take a trip together.
- Singular possessive: That is the man’s car parked outside.
- Plural possessive: The men’s room is on the second floor.
The difference between the singular and plural possessives is that we are talking about one man in the singular possessive sentence. However, in the plural possessive sentence, we are talking about something that belongs to multiple men.
Now you have learned the basics of how to use the possessive forms of man. However, you should keep reading so you can learn more about each form and how to use them.
Man’s
The word man’s is the singular possessive of the word man. Therefore, you use it when you want to say that something belongs to one man.
You can mention things that are a physical part of a man or part of his character.
- The man’s beard was neatly trimmed.
- That man’s opinion matters a lot in this community.
Men’s
The word men’s is the plural possessive of man. Therefore, you use it when you want to indicate that something belongs to multiple men.
The plural possessive can refer to physical objects owned by men, as well as things like results or opinions.
- The men’s achievements were recognized at the event.
- Someone left the men’s tools scattered around the workshop.
Furthermore, the term men’s can also refer to spaces explicitly designed for men, as well as periods of time that men spend without women.
- He bought new shoes from the men’s department.
- They planned a men’s retreat in the countryside.
Men
The term men is the standard plural of the word man. Therefore, you use it when you want to talk about more than one man in non-possessive sentences.
You can use the plural version to mention a specific number of men.
