Apostrophes after Z

This page is about whether to use 's or just ' to show the possessive form of a noun that ends -z.

The answer is:

Use 's to show the possessive form of a singular noun ending -z.

Here are some examples of nouns ending z in the possessive case:

• These are Dr. Sanchez's patients. 
• The questions are full of unpronounceable words because the quiz's real purpose is to embarrass the host. 

Why Is There Confusion over Z's and Z'?

Confusion arises because the possessive form of singular nouns that end s (e.g., Moses, series, Wales) can be shown by adding 's or just '.

The general rule for those nouns is write their possessive forms how you would pronounce them. For example:

• Jones' report is terrible. 
(This is for those people who pronounce it Jones.)
• Jones's report is terrible. 
(This is for those people who pronounce it Jonesiz.)

With the possessive form of a noun that ends in z, there is no choice. It will have the ziz sound at the end. Therefore, the -z's ending is needed to tell readers how to pronounce it.