Judges vs. Judge’s – Which is Correct?
“Judges” and “judge’s” are both correct, but they serve different grammatical purposes. “Judges” is the plural of judge or a verb meaning evaluates officially. “Judge’s” is the singular possessive form or a contraction of “judge is” or “judge has.” The apostrophe changes meaning, not pronunciation. Context determines the intended interpretation.
Judges or Judge’s – Which is Correct?
“Judges” and “judge’s” are both correct American English forms. The word judges can be a plural noun referring to more than one judge, or a third-person singular verb meaning “evaluates” or “decides.” The form judge’s can show possession by one judge, or it can contract “judge is” or “judge has.”
The apostrophe is essential when you mean something belongs to one judge or when judge’s represents a shortened verb phrase. Without the apostrophe, judges usually means multiple judges or describes an action performed by one judge.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the apostrophe swap test. If you can replace judge’s with “judge is” or “judge has,” the apostrophe is part of a contraction. If the phrase describes something belonging to one judge, keep the apostrophe before the s. If you mean more than one judge or “evaluates,” use judges without an apostrophe.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| judges | Plural noun | More than one judge | The judges reviewed the evidence. |
| judges | Verb | Evaluates or decides | She judges the entries fairly. |
| judge’s | Singular possessive noun | Belonging to one judge | The judge’s decision was announced. |
| judge’s | Contraction | “Judge is” or “judge has” | The judge’s reviewing the case. |
How to Use judges
Judges has two primary uses. As a plural noun, it refers to two or more people who preside over legal cases, assess competitions, or make formal decisions. As a verb, it is the third-person singular present-tense form of judge, meaning that one person evaluates, forms an opinion about, or reaches a decision concerning something.
In legal and official writing, the noun is often formal and specific. The verb can appear in formal contexts, such as competitions or court proceedings, as well as casual expressions such as “She judges people too quickly.”
Because judges can mean “evaluates,” distinguishing that action from the broader concept discussed in Judge vs. Evaluate helps clarify usage.
Example 1: The judges listened carefully to each witness.
Example 2: This panel of judges selects the winning design.
Example 3: He judges the quality of a book by its argument and evidence.
What are the different forms of judges?
As a noun, judges is the regular plural of judge. The singular form is judge, and the plural is formed by adding -s. As a verb, judges is the third-person singular present form: “The referee judges the performance.” Other common verb forms include judge, judged, and judging.
When the noun is plural and possessive, write judges’, as in “the judges’ ruling.” This is different from judge’s, which indicates possession by one judge.
Etymology of the word judges
Judges comes from the noun and verb judge. Judge entered English through Old French juger, meaning “to judge,” and ultimately derives from Latin iūdex, meaning “judge” or “one who decides.” The final -s marks either a plural noun or a third-person singular verb.
How to Use judge’s
Judge’s is the singular possessive form of judge when one judge owns, controls, makes, or is associated with something. It can also be a contraction of “judge is” or “judge has.” The possessive use is common in formal writing, while the contractions are more conversational and are usually expanded in highly formal legal or academic prose.
To identify the possessive form, look for a noun immediately afterward or nearby: “the judge’s opinion,” “the judge’s chambers,” or “the judge’s ruling.” To identify a contraction, expand it: “The judge’s speaking” becomes “The judge is speaking,” while “The judge’s issued an order” becomes “The judge has issued an order.”
Example 1: The judge’s ruling resolved the dispute.
Example 2: The judge’s reviewing the final documents now.
Example 3: The judge’s issued a written explanation of the sentence.
What are the different forms of judge’s?
Judge’s has two grammatical functions. As a possessive noun, it means “belonging to one judge.” Its plural possessive counterpart is judges’, meaning “belonging to multiple judges.” As a contraction, judge’s can represent either “judge is” or “judge has,” depending on the words that follow.
Do not confuse judge’s with judges. The apostrophe in judge’s signals possession or omitted letters; it does not create a plural.
Etymology of the word judge’s
Judge’s is an inflected form of judge. The apostrophe developed in English as a written marker of possession and later became part of contractions. The base word ultimately comes from Latin iūdex through Old French, while the possessive and contracted forms reflect English grammatical conventions.
Related Concepts
Understanding plural nouns, possessives, and contractions makes the difference between judges and judge’s easier to recognize.
- Plural nouns: A plural noun refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Judges means two or more judges.
- Singular possessives: A singular possessive shows that something belongs to one person or thing. Judge’s ruling means the ruling belonging to one judge.
- Plural possessives: A plural possessive shows ownership by more than one person. Judges’ opinions means the opinions of multiple judges.
- Contractions: A contraction combines words and replaces omitted letters with an apostrophe. Judge’s may shorten “judge is” or “judge has.”
Examples from Media and Literature
The distinction appears in legal reporting, competition coverage, fiction, and everyday commentary.
- News reporting: “The judges issued a joint statement after the hearing.” Here, judges is a plural noun.
- Courtroom drama: “The judge’s decision changes the course of the trial.” Here, judge’s shows possession.
- Competition coverage: “The judges awarded the highest score to the final performance.” Here, judges refers to several evaluators.
- Literary narration: “The judge’s voice remained calm throughout the testimony.” The apostrophe indicates that the voice belongs to one judge.
- Dialogue in a film or novel: “The judge’s already made a decision.” Here, judge’s contracts “judge has.”
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence: judges or judge’s.
- The ______ decision was published the following morning.
- The three ______ compared their notes before announcing the result.
- She ______ every entry according to the same criteria.
- The ______ reviewing the evidence in chambers.
- The ______ have issued separate opinions.
Answer Key
- judge’s — The decision belongs to one judge.
- judges — The sentence refers to three judges.
- judges — This is the verb meaning “evaluates.”
- judge’s — This means “the judge is reviewing.”
- judges — The sentence refers to multiple judges.
judges Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| evaluates | Assesses quality, performance, or value |
| assesses | Examines something and determines its worth or significance |
| decides | Reaches a conclusion or settles an issue |
| adjudicates | Makes a formal decision in a dispute or competition |
judge’s Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| of the judge | A phrase expressing possession or association |
| belonging to the judge | A clearer possessive replacement for a judge’s |
| the judge is | The expanded form of the contraction in phrases such as “judge’s speaking” |
| the judge has | The expanded form of the contraction before a past participle |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “judges” ever possessive?
No. Judges without an apostrophe is normally a plural noun or a verb. The plural possessive form is judges’, as in “the judges’ decisions.”
Question 2: Is “judge’s” always possessive?
No. Judge’s can be possessive, as in “the judge’s robe,” or a contraction of “judge is” or “judge has,” as in “the judge’s speaking” or “the judge’s ruled.”
Question 3: What is the difference between “judge’s” and “judges’”?
Judge’s indicates possession by one judge. Judges’ indicates possession by two or more judges. For example, “the judge’s ruling” refers to one ruling by one judge, while “the judges’ rulings” refers to rulings associated with multiple judges.
Conclusion
Judges and judge’s are both correct, but they cannot usually be substituted for one another. Use judges for multiple judges or the verb “evaluates.” Use judge’s for possession by one judge or as a contraction of “judge is” or “judge has.” Pro Tip: Checking every apostrophe in professional writing helps prevent ambiguity and protects your credibility.
