Texas’ is a possessive form of Texas, which you should use when following the rules of the AP Stylebook. E.g., “Texas’ rivers suffered in the drought.” Also, Texas’s is a singular possessive form, which you should use for the Chicago Manual of Style. E.g., “Texas’s governor just resigned.”
As the following chart shows, there is no plural or plural possessive form because there is only one Texas, and it is a proper noun.
| Singular | Texas |
| Plural | NA |
| Singular possessive | Texas’ / Texas’s |
| Plural possessive | NA |
Here are some examples that illustrate the different forms of Texas.
- Singular: Austin is the capital of Texas.
- Singular possessive: Texas’ primary industry is oil extraction.
- Singular possessive: Texas’s coast is on the Gulf of Mexico.
As you can see, there are two forms of the singular possessive. One with just an apostrophe at the end of Texas, and the other with an apostrophe and “s.”
In academic writing, you should use Texas’ if your text needs to be in AP Style. However, you should use Texas’s if you are following the Chicago Manual of Style.
Now we have covered the basics of using the possessive forms of the word Texas. Keep reading the rest of the page to learn more about using them in your writing.
Texas’
The word Texas’ is the singular possessive form of the US state Texas. Therefore, you use it when you want to refer to things that belong to or come from Texas.
These things could include geographical features.
- Texas’ desert landscapes are stunning.
Furthermore, you can use it to refer to people that come from Texas.
- Texas’ representative at the conference was against renewable energy.
You can choose which version of the possessive you want to use in everyday writing. However, Texas’ is the version that the AP Stylebook recommends.
Furthermore, in British English, Texas’ is still more popular than Texas’s. In addition, Texas’ was more prevalent in American English until 2008, when Texas’s became the more common possessive form.
Texas’s
The term Texas’s is a singular possessive form of Texas. Therefore, you can use it when you want to say something or someone belongs to or comes from Texas.
- Texas’s location on the border means there is high immigration.
- Texas’s hero Willie Nelson wrote the popular song On the Road Again.
In addition, you should use Texas’s as the singular possessive if you are writing following the rules of the Chicago Manual of Style.
Texas’s is currently the more common possessive form in the US, but it has only been that way since around 2008. Prior to that, Texas’ was the more common possessive form.
In addition, people often use the version Texas’ when the following word starts with an “s.” However, if you do this, make sure to be consistent and do it throughout your writing.
- Texas’ senator is Ted Cruz.