PRIMARY SPELLING & PHONICS • GRADE 2–3 ORTHOGRAPHY • VOWEL + Y • POSSESSIVE CASE STUDENT WORKSHEET • PAGE 1 OF 2

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Vowel + Y Plural Law & The Wheeler Possessive Rule

Wheeler's Law: Words ending in y preceded by a vowel (-ay, -ey, -oy, -uy) do NOT change y to i. They simply add -s to form the plural (e.g., boy → boys, day → days, monkey → monkeys).

The Possessive Case Rule: To show ownership for a singular noun, add an apostrophe and s ('s): the boy's hat, the monkey's tail. Never confuse a plural (boys) with a possessive (boy's)!

Plural Studio • Vowel + y Nouns (Simply Add -s)

Write the plural form on the 26px line. Do NOT change y to i:

day → days boy → boys key → keys toy → toys

joy → joys ray → rays monkey → monkeys valley → valleys

Possessive Case vs. Simple Plural Discrimination

Fill in the blank with either the simple plural (-s) or the possessive form ('s):

1. Three cheerful ____________ (boy) ran across the playground.

2. The ____________ (boy) warm wool coat hung upon the wooden peg.

3. The playful ____________ (monkey) tail curled around the branch.

4. Seven ____________ (day) make up one complete week.

Sentence Application & Contrast

Compose a sentence containing both a plural vowel+y noun and a singular possessive noun:

Model: The boys borrowed the lady's pony for the afternoon.

Original:

Wheeler's Orthoepic Rules • Vowel + Y & Possessives

1. 1. Vowel + Y Plural Law: When final y is preceded by a vowel (a, e, o, u), it forms a vowel digraph. Changing y to i would destroy the team (e.g., boies is wrong). Simply add -s.

2. 2. Singular Possessive ('s): The possessive case of a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and s ('s). It indicates ownership, origin, or authorship: the girl's book, the boy's sled.

3. 3. The Apostrophe Barrier: Never use an apostrophe to form a simple plural noun! An apostrophe marks missing letters or possession, never plurality (write monkeys, NOT monkey's for plurals).