Posessive or Possessive: The Correct Spellings

The common mistake of spelling "possessive" as "posessive" likely stems from inconsistent pronunciation and the challenge of remembering the placement of double consonants in English.

To remember the correct spelling of "possessive," one might consider the word "possess" as its base, emphasizing the double 's' both in "possess" and its adjective form, and then adding the "-ive" to indicate its descriptive nature.

The correct spelling is "possessive," not "posessive." The difference lies in the number of 's' characters; "possessive" includes two sets of double 's', whereas "posessive" incorrectly includes only one. The term "possessive" is derived from the Latin word "possessivus," which means 'pertaining to possession.' It is an adjective form of the verb "possess," indicating ownership or relation to owning something.

Incorrect: He showed a posessive interest in the project's outcome.

Correct: He showed a possessive interest in the project's outcome.

Incorrect: Posessive behavior can be a sign of insecurity.

Correct: Possessive behavior can be a sign of insecurity.

Incorrect: The cat's posessive attitude towards its toys was amusing.

Correct: The cat's possessive attitude towards its toys was amusing.

Incorrect: Her posessive pronouns were incorrect in the sentence.

Correct: Her possessive pronouns were incorrect in the sentence.

Incorrect: The child's posessive grip on the toy was strong.

Correct: The child's possessive grip on the toy was strong.

Relating to ownership or belonging to someone.

Grammatical form used to indicate possession.

Pertaining to a possessive case in grammar.

Expressing control or exclusivity in a relationship.

Showing a desire to own or dominate.

The possessive case in English can be tricky to master.

The teacher corrected the possessive form in the student's essay.

The novel explored themes of love and possessive jealousy.

He didn't like the possessive way she talked about their mutual friends.

Their possessive relationship became a central theme in the play.

In many languages, possessive pronouns change form depending on gender.

The dog was very possessive of its toys, growling when anyone came near.

Her possessive nature often led to conflicts with her friends.

The child's possessive attachment to the blanket was comforting to him.

Her possessive instincts kicked in when she saw her friend talking to her rival.

Refers to the limitations and restrictions caused by overly possessive feelings.

This means liberating oneself from controlling or overly possessive relationships.

Describes being in a relationship where love is controlling and limiting.

Describes a situation where protectiveness is actually a form of control.

Refers to the pressure and demands placed on someone in a controlling manner.

Describes intense jealousy that seeks to control or dominate.

Indicates past relationships or experiences that continue to control or affect someone's present life.

Implies secretive or manipulative attempts to control or influence someone.

Implies using one's position of power to control or dominate others.

Refers to relationships or connections that are overly controlling or restrictive.

Yes, possessive can describe feelings of ownership or control over others, often in a negative sense.

The correct spelling is possessive. "Posessive" is incorrect due to the misspelling of the double 's'.

Think of the word "possess" which has double 's', and add "ive" to form "possessive."

The possessive case is a grammatical way to indicate ownership, typically by adding an apostrophe and 's' to a noun.

While often seen negatively in personal relationships, possessiveness can be neutral or positive in legal or ownership contexts.

Possessive pronouns, such as "his," "her," "its," "our," "your," and "their," indicate ownership without needing an apostrophe.

The word possessive comes from the Latin "possessivus," which means 'pertaining to possession.'

Possessive refers to showing ownership or the relation to owning something, and can also describe a controlling desire to dominate.

Yes, the verb form is "possess," and the noun form related to grammar is "possession."

Use possessive to indicate ownership or a controlling attitude, e.g., "The possessive apostrophe is missing in 'Johns book'."