Exploring Secretary’s, Secretaries’, and Secretaries: A Simple Guide

When we talk, read, or write, sometimes little things like an “s” or an apostrophe can change the meaning of words a lot. This is really true for words like “secretary.” By changing it a little, we can talk about one secretary, more than one secretary, or things that belong to secretaries.

This guide will help you understand the difference between “Secretary’s,” “Secretaries’,” and “Secretaries” with easy examples and a table.

Secretary’s (Singular Possessive)

Secretary’s shows that something belongs to or is related to one secretary.

Examples:

• The secretary’s desk is by the window.
  • (The desk that belongs to one secretary)
• The secretary’s schedule is full today.
  • (The schedule of one secretary)
• The secretary’s responsibility includes answering phones.
  • (What one secretary needs to do)

Secretaries’ (Plural Possessive)

Secretaries’ is used when we are talking about something that belongs to or is related to more than one secretary.

Examples:

• The secretaries’ office is on the second floor.
  • (The office for more than one secretary)
• The secretaries’ meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.
  • (The meeting for more than one secretary)
• The secretaries’ duties include managing emails.
  • (What more than one secretary needs to do)

Read More: Mastering John’s, Johns’, and Johns: A Simple Guide

Secretaries (Plural)

Secretaries is the plural form of “secretary,” which means more than one secretary.

Examples:

• All secretaries are required to attend the seminar.
• Secretaries often handle scheduling and correspondence.
• Many secretaries today must be skilled in technology.

Understanding the Differences: A Table

This table makes it easy to see the differences between each form:

Form	Usage	Example Sentence
Secretary’s	Singular possessive (one secretary)	The secretary’s desk is by the window.
Secretaries’	Plural possessive (more than one)	The secretaries’ office is on the second floor.
Secretaries	Plural (more than one secretary)	All secretaries are required to attend.

Tips for Remembering

• If it belongs to one secretary, use Secretary’s.
• If it belongs to more than one secretary, use Secretaries’.
• If you’re simply talking about more than one secretary, with no ownership, use Secretaries.

By understanding when to use Secretary’s, Secretaries’, and Secretaries, you can make your writing clearer and more accurate. Remembering these simple rules will help you avoid common mistakes and communicate more effectively. Hopefully, this guide has made these differences easy to understand and remember!