The word spouse’s is the singular possessive form of spouse. E.g., “The spouse’s car is parked outside.” Furthermore, spouses’ is the plural possessive form. E.g., “The spouses’ meeting was held on Saturday.” Also, spouses is the standard plural of spouse. E.g., “The spouses attended the event together.”
The following chart provides a summary of the different forms of spouse.
| Form | Example Sentence |
| Singular | Spouse |
| Plural | Spouses |
| Singular possessive | Spouse’s |
| Plural possessive | Spouses’ |
You can make the plural form by adding an “s” to spouse.
Furthermore, you can make the singular possessive by inserting an apostrophe and an “s” after spouse. In comparison, the plural possessive is made by adding an apostrophe to the end of spouses.
In the following examples, you can see the different forms of the word spouse in context:
- Singular: The spouse joined the meeting later.
- Plural: The spouses enjoyed the weekend getaway.
- Singular possessive: The spouse’s opinion was highly valued.
- Plural possessive: The spouses’ shared responsibilities were well-managed.
The difference between the singular and plural possessives is that we are talking about one spouse in the singular possessive sentence. However, in the plural possessive sentence, we are talking about something that belongs to multiple spouses.
Now you have learned the basics of how to use the possessive forms of spouse. However, you should keep reading so you can learn more about each form and how to use them.
Spouse’s
The word spouse’s is the singular possessive of the word spouse. Therefore, you use it when you want to say that something belongs to one spouse.
You can mention things that are a physical part of a spouse or part of their belongings.
- The spouse’s jacket was left in the car.
- Our spouse’s support has been essential during this time.
Spouses’
The word spouses’ is the plural possessive of spouse. Therefore, you use it when you want to indicate that something belongs to multiple spouses.
The plural possessive can refer to physical objects owned by spouses, as well as things like ideas or contributions.
- The spouses’ dinner was hosted at a fancy restaurant.
- Someone organized the spouses’ schedule for the day.
Furthermore, the term spouses’ can also refer to events or spaces explicitly designed for spouses, as well as periods of time that spouses spend together.
- The spouses’ retreat focused on relationship building.
- They attended a spouses’ counseling session to improve communication.
Spouses
The term spouses is the standard plural of the word spouse. Therefore, you use it when you want to talk about more than one spouse in non-possessive sentences.
You can use the plural version to mention a specific number of spouses.
- Several spouses joined the company event.
Also, you can use it to refer to all spouses in a general sense.
- Spouses often provide emotional support to each other.
