Everyone’s or Everyones? Which One is Correct?
English grammar can sometimes be tricky, especially when dealing with possessive forms and contractions. One common point of confusion is whether to use everyone’s or everyones. While both words may look similar, only one is grammatically correct in English.
In this article, we will explain the difference between everyone’s and everyones, clarify when to use everyone’s, and show why everyones is incorrect. We will also provide examples of everyone’s in various contexts and offer practice questions with answers to help you master the concept.
Table of Contents
The Correct Word: Everyone’s
The correct form is everyone’s, with an apostrophe + s. This is because everyone’s is either a possessive form or a contraction of everyone is or everyone has.
1. Possessive Form of “Everyone”
In English, when we want to indicate that something belongs to everyone, we add an apostrophe + s to the end of the word everyone. This creates the possessive form, everyone’s, meaning “belonging to everyone.”
Example Sentences:
- Everyone’s opinion matters in this meeting. (This means the opinions of all people matter.)
- I took everyone’s signatures before submitting the petition. (This means the signatures of all people were collected.)
In these examples, everyone’s is used to show possession. It indicates that something belongs to or is associated with all people in the group referred to as everyone.
2. Contraction of “Everyone is” or “Everyone has”
Everyone’s can also be a contraction of everyone is or everyone has. Contractions are formed by combining two words and replacing some letters with an apostrophe.
Example Sentences:
- Everyone’s excited about the party tonight. (This is a contraction of everyone is.)
- Everyone’s already left the building. (This is a contraction of everyone has.)
In both cases, everyone’s is short for everyone is or everyone has, depending on the context. The apostrophe replaces the missing letters (i or ha).
Summary of Everyone’s:
- Possessive form: Shows that something belongs to everyone.
- Contraction: Short for everyone is or everyone has.
Why Everyones is Incorrect
Everyones (without an apostrophe) is not a valid word in English. The word everyone is already a singular indefinite pronoun that refers to all people in a group. Since everyone is a single entity representing a group, it doesn’t need an “s” at the end to make it plural. Additionally, without an apostrophe, everyones does not indicate possession or contraction.
Common Examples of Incorrect Usage:
- Incorrect: I collected everyones ideas for the project.
- Correct: I collected everyone’s ideas for the project.
- Incorrect: Everyones is going to the concert tonight.
- Correct: Everyone’s going to the concert tonight.
In these examples, everyones is incorrect because it does not follow the rules of possessive forms or contractions. Always remember that everyone’s (with an apostrophe) is the correct form, either to show possession or as a contraction.
How to Tell if Everyone’s is a Possessive or Contraction
The context of the sentence will help you determine whether everyone’s is being used as a possessive or a contraction.
1. Possessive Form:
If everyone’s is followed by a noun, it is likely being used in the possessive form. In this case, everyone’s indicates that the noun belongs to or is associated with everyone.
Example Sentences:
- Everyone’s shoes were left at the door. (Possessive: The shoes of all people were left at the door.)
- Everyone’s feedback was considered in the final decision. (Possessive: The feedback of all people was considered.)
2. Contraction:
If everyone’s is followed by an adjective, verb, or adverb, it is likely being used as a contraction of everyone is or everyone has. The verb or adjective that follows will clarify the contraction.
Example Sentences:
- Everyone’s happy with the results. (Contraction: Everyone is happy.)
- Everyone’s finished their assignments. (Contraction: Everyone has finished.)
By understanding the context, you can easily tell whether everyone’s is functioning as a possessive or a contraction.
Examples of Everyone’s in Different Contexts
Here are some additional examples of how everyone’s is used in both its possessive and contraction forms.
Examples of Possessive Form (Belonging to Everyone):
- Everyone’s jackets were piled up on the sofa.
(Possessive: The jackets that belong to everyone were piled up.) - We respected everyone’s opinion during the discussion.
(Possessive: The opinions of all people were respected.) - Everyone’s responsibilities were clearly outlined in the meeting.
(Possessive: The responsibilities of all people were outlined.)
Examples of Contraction (Everyone Is or Everyone Has):
- Everyone’s ready for the big event.
(Contraction: Everyone is ready.) - Everyone’s been so busy lately.
(Contraction: Everyone has been busy.) - Everyone’s walking to the park together.
(Contraction: Everyone is walking.)
In each example, the context helps clarify whether everyone’s is being used as a possessive or a contraction.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Here are a few common mistakes people make when using everyone’s and tips on how to avoid them.
1. Using Everyones Instead of Everyone’s
As discussed earlier, everyones is not a valid word in English. Always remember that everyone is already singular and does not need an “s” at the end. If you want to show possession (belonging to everyone) or create a contraction (everyone is or everyone has), use everyone’s with an apostrophe.
- Incorrect: I listened to everyones complaints.
- Correct: I listened to everyone’s complaints.
2. Confusing Possessive and Contraction Forms
Sometimes, people get confused between the possessive form and the contraction. One way to avoid confusion is to check what comes after everyone’s. If it is followed by a noun, it’s likely possessive. If it’s followed by a verb, adjective, or adverb, it’s probably a contraction.
- Incorrect: Everyone’s agree with the plan.
(This doesn’t make sense because everyone’s is followed by a verb, and it should be a contraction.) - Correct: Everyone agrees with the plan. (Here, we use everyone without an apostrophe because there is no contraction or possession.)
3. Forgetting the Apostrophe
Sometimes, writers forget to add the apostrophe when writing everyone’s, which can lead to confusion. Always double-check that you’ve included the apostrophe when you’re either using the possessive form or creating a contraction.
- Incorrect: I appreciated everyones effort on the project.
- Correct: I appreciated everyone’s effort on the project.
Practice Questions: Everyone’s or Everyones?
Let’s test your understanding of everyone’s with the following practice questions.
Question 1:
Which word is correct in the following sentence?
- I gathered _ belongings before we left the park.
a) everyones
b) everyone’s
Answer:
b) everyone’s
Explanation: The correct word is everyone’s because we are talking about the belongings of everyone (possessive form).
Question 2:
Fill in the blank with the correct word:
- _ going to the concert tonight.
Answer:
Everyone’s going to the concert tonight.
Explanation: This is a contraction of everyone is, so everyone’s is the correct choice.
Question 3:
True or False:
Everyones is a valid word in English.
Answer:
False.
Explanation: Everyones without an apostrophe is incorrect. The correct form is everyone’s.
Question 4:
Which sentence is correct?
- a) Everyones ideas were considered in the meeting.
- b) Everyone’s ideas were considered in the meeting.
Answer:
b) Everyone’s ideas were considered in the meeting.
Explanation: The correct form is everyone’s because we are referring to the ideas belonging to everyone (possessive form).
Question 5:
Fill in the blank:
- _ already finished their assignments.
Answer:
Everyone’s already finished their assignments.
Explanation: This is a contraction of everyone has, so everyone’s is the correct choice.
Conclusion
In summary, the correct form is everyone’s, with an apostrophe, and it can be used in two ways:
- Possessive form: To show that something belongs to everyone.
- Contraction: A shortened form of everyone is or everyone has.
Everyones (without an apostrophe) is incorrect and should never be used.
Quick Recap:
- Everyone’s = Possessive form or contraction (everyone is or everyone has).
- Everyones = Incorrect.
By following these guidelines and practicing with examples, you will avoid common mistakes and confidently use everyone’s in your writing.
