The terms Jess’ and Jess’s are both correct singular possessive forms of Jess. The more common form is Jess’s. E.g., “Jess’s birthday is today, so we bought her a cake.” Furthermore, Jess’ is the form you should use for AP Style. E.g., “Jess’ brother is a dentist.”
As the following chart shows, you can form the singular possessive of Jess in two different ways. One with just an apostrophe at the end, and the other with an apostrophe and an “s.”
| Singular | Jess |
| Singular possessive | Jess’s / Jess’ |
Here are some examples of how the different forms look in a sentence.
- Singular: Jess is getting married here in Australia next month.
- Singular possessive: Jess’s parents are flying in from LA for the wedding.
- Singular possessive: Jess’ fiancé is Australian.
There is no difference in meaning between the two possessive forms. Furthermore, in non-academic writing, you can choose which version of the singular possessive you use.
However, make sure to use whichever version you choose throughout the text.
We have covered the basics of how to use the possessive form of the name Jess.
However, you should continue reading the rest of the page to learn about how you should use the singular possessive of Jess in academic writing.
We have some great examples to show you!
Jess’s
The possessive form Jess’s is the more standard and common form in British and American English.
Hence, it is also the form you should use in other countries such as Australia.
The extra “s” at the end of the name Jess is pronounced, so this version is easier to read in many ways.
Also, if you are writing a formal text that follows the Chicago Manual of Style formatting, you should use Jess’s.
Below, we have gathered some great examples:
- Jess’s birthday party is this Saturday.
- Jess’s mother called to confirm our appointment.
- I borrowed Jess’s bicycle for a quick ride around the park.
- The novel on the table is Jess’s favorite.
- Everyone admires Jess’s artistic skills.
- Jess’s enthusiasm for the project is contagious.
- We’re planning a surprise for Jess’s upcoming promotion.
- That dog over there is Jess’s; she adopted him last year.
- Jess’s backpack is the blue one next to the door.
Furthermore, some people remove the “s” from singular possessives when the following word begins with “s.” However, if you do this once, you must do it throughout the document to ensure consistency.
Take a look at these examples:
- Jess’ secretary arranges her meetings and schedule.
- Jess’ sister is coming to visit next week.
- I’m attending Jess’ seminar on Friday.
- The plot twist in Jess’ screenplay was unexpected.
- Jess’ signature is at the bottom of the letter.
However, it is just as correct to use Jess’s, when the word following the name starts with an “s.”
Here are some examples:
- I heard Jess’s song on the radio this morning!
- Jess’s salad recipe is the best I’ve ever tasted.
- The design of Jess’s sweater is unique.
- Have you seen Jess’s slideshow for the presentation?
Next, let’s go into detail about when you should use Jess’ instead of Jess’s.
Jess’
The word Jess’ is a singular possessive form of the name Jess. Initially, most possessives were formed without the additional “s” after the apostrophe.
However, this is no longer the case, and the form Jess’ is less common than Jess’s.
Below, you can see some examples sentences where Jess’ is used in a sentence:
- Jess’ book collection is extensive.
- I think that’s Jess’ coat over there.
- Did you see Jess’ reaction to the news?
- Jess’ friends threw her a surprise party.
- The laptop is Jess’, but the charger belongs to Mark.
- Jess’ passion for wildlife photography is evident in her work.
- The cake recipe is an old Jess’ family secret.
- I’ll return Jess’ pencil to her tomorrow.
However, when writing in AP Style, you should use Jess’ as the singular possessive because it is a proper noun.
Also, Jess’ can look more natural to use, when the word after the name starts with an “s.”
Have a look at these examples to see what we mean:
- Jess’ sister will not be able to make her wedding.
- That’s Jess’ spot, she always sits there during the meetings.
So, that’s all you need to know. Jess’s is the most common version but Jess’ is just as correct. If you don’t follow a specific style guide, you can choose the version you like the most.