Arkansas’ or Arkansas’s?
Arkansas’ is a possessive form of Arkansas, which you should use when following the rules of the AP Stylebook. E.g., “Arkansas’ natural beauty is captivating.” Also, Arkansas’s is a singular possessive form, which you should use for the Chicago Manual of Style. E.g., “Arkansas’s historical landmarks are well-preserved.”
As the following chart shows, there is no plural or plural possessive form because there is only one Arkansas, and it is a proper noun.
| Singular | Arkansas |
| Plural | NA |
| Singular possessive | Arkansas’ / Arkansas’s |
| Plural possessive | NA |
Here are some examples that illustrate the different forms of Arkansas.
- Singular: Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas.
- Singular possessive: Arkansas’ agricultural sector is vital to the state’s economy.
- Singular possessive: Arkansas’s rivers are abundant with diverse wildlife.
As you can see, there are two forms of the singular possessive. One with just an apostrophe at the end of Arkansas, and the other with an apostrophe and “s.”
In academic writing, you should use Arkansas’ if your text needs to be in AP Style. However, you should use Arkansas’s if you are following the Chicago Manual of Style.
Now we have covered the basics of using the possessive forms of the word Arkansas. Keep reading the rest of the page to learn more about using them in your writing.
See how to use possessive nouns on grammarly
Arkansas’
The word Arkansas’ is the singular possessive form of the US state Arkansas. Therefore, you use it when you want to refer to things that belong to or come from Arkansas.
These things could include natural features.
- Arkansas’ mountainous landscapes are a hiker’s paradise.
Furthermore, you can use it to refer to people that come from Arkansas.
- Arkansas’ representative at the summit advocated for environmental conservation.
You can choose which version of the possessive you want to use in everyday writing. However, Arkansas’ is the version that the AP Stylebook recommends.
Furthermore, in British English, Arkansas’ is still more popular than Arkansas’s. In addition, Arkansas’ was more prevalent in American English until 2012, when Arkansas’s became the more common possessive form.
See how to use possessives of names or proper nouns ending in -s
Arkansas’s
The term Arkansas’s is a singular possessive form of Arkansas. Therefore, you can use it when you want to say something or someone belongs to or comes from Arkansas.
- Arkansas’s cultural heritage is celebrated through various festivals.
In addition, you should use Arkansas’s as the singular possessive if you are writing following the rules of the Chicago Manual of Style.
Arkansas’s is currently the more common possessive form in the US, but it has only been that way since around 2012. Prior to that, Arkansas’ was the more common possessive form.
In addition, people often use the version Arkansas’ when the following word starts with an “s.” However, if you do this, make sure to be consistent and do it throughout your writing.
- Arkansas’ senator is known for championing education reform.