Parents or Parents': Which Is Correct?
Updated · Which One Is Correct editorial team
Quick answer: To decide which is correct, you must look at what follows the word. Parents is the simple plural noun referring to two or more caregivers, while parents indicates ownership when you mention a house or car belonging to them. Always check the sentence context to choose the right form.
The Short Answer
Parents is the plural noun used to describe two or more guardians, whereas parents is the plural possessive form used when indicating something belongs to them.
People often mix these up because the letters look almost identical, yet the apostrophe changes the entire meaning from a group of people to the group owning an item.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Form | Status | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Plural Noun | referring to a group of people |
| Parents | Plural Possessive | showing ownership by the group |
| Parent | Singular Noun | referring to one guardian |
| Parent | Singular Possessive | showing ownership by one guardian |
Correct Example Sentences
- All parents attended the school meeting last night.
- My parents have a beautiful garden in the back.
- She asked her parents for permission to go out.
- The parents house is located on the corner.
- My parents favorite hobby is gardening together.
- Good parents teach their children to be kind.
- Did your parents invite us to the party?
- We will visit the parents of our new neighbor.
- The parents decided to move to a new city.
- My parents book is on the kitchen table.
Common Mistakes and Fixes
- My parents house is very big.
- My parents house is very big should be My parents house is very big.
- The parents book was lost.
- The parents book was lost should be The parents book was lost.
- She is talking to her parents.
- She is talking to her parents is correct as no possession is shown.
- We need parents advice.
- We need parents advice should be We need parents advice.
- The parents of John live here.
- The parents of John live here is correct since it refers to the people.
- My parents car is red.
- My parents car is red should be My parents car is red.
A Quick Test You Can Use
To determine the correct spelling, ask yourself if the word is showing ownership or simply naming the people involved in the sentence.
Related Word Pairs
- Child vs childs
- Childs is incorrect; use childrens for the plural possessive of kids.
- Teacher vs teachers
- Teachers refers to the group, while teachers refers to their possession.
- Student vs students
- Students means many learners, while students means belonging to learners.
- Dog vs dogs
- Dogs means multiple animals, while dogs means the animals belongings.
- Cat vs cats
- Cats means multiple felines, while cats means the felines belongings.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I use parents versus parents?
Use parents when naming the group of people, such as all parents arrived. Use parents when showing that the item belongs to the group, like parents house.
Is parents a typo?
No, parents is a valid word for the plural possessive form, meaning something belonging to two or more parents, similar to how cars belongs to multiple owners.
What about parent s?
The form parent s is incorrect because the apostrophe must come before the s to show that the single parent owns the item, not after the s.
Do I need an apostrophe for parents?
Yes, you need an apostrophe before the s in parents to indicate that the noun is possessive and the item belongs to the group of parents.
