Grammar Tidbit #6
When to use an apostrophe -s when showing possession
When to use an apostrophe -s when showing possession
An apostrophe -s is added to a noun (person, place, thing, idea) to show ownership.
Let's start with examples that are singular.
The dog's collar is red.
The blog's background is pink.
The family's house is on fire.
The law's effects are uncertain.
The park's lights were broken.
New York City's mayor just resigned.
Love's joy is immeasurable.
Matt Bayley's blog is now being updated more regularly.
add an apostrophe -s even when the noun ends in an "s"
The moss's texture is fuzzy.
The lens's zoom was amazing.
Tess's hat is squashed.
EXCEPTIONS: No apostrophe -s after the names of Jesus, Moses, Xerxes, or Socrates to avoid the additional "s" sound or adding an additional syllable after words ending in an "eez" sound.
Jesus' twelve disciples were his closest followers.
Moses' brother was named Aaron.
Xerxes' defeat was certain.
Socrates' death was a suicide.
IF you really care... When you use the phrase "for _______ sake," the noun in the middle will have an -s ending and should only require an apostrophe.
For goodness' sake, put that snake down!
For appearance' sake, we decided to paint the house.
Yes, yes, that is straight from my beloved grammar book from college. I freely admit to being an uber English language geek. I do in fact have a dictionary by my bed for the "must look up" moments during reading at bedtime, and Todd and I do have rousing discussions centering on grammar - he is, quite possibly, worse than I am about this...
For plural nouns (or multiple people, places, things, ideas) it changes.
IF the word ends in an "s" only put an apostrophe.
IF it does not end in an "s" add an apostrophe -s.
The mice's cheese was poisoned.
The homes' builder was very proud.
The authors' signatures were unreadable.
The children's homework was too difficult.
My keys' location is unknown.
The Bayleys' family blog has many cute pictures on it.
Everyone's mood improves when it's sunny outside.
The calves' mother was named Old Bessy.
NO NEED to use an apostrophe when you are using a possessive personal pronoun (word that takes the place of a person's name/peoples' names) because it already shows possession.
my
mine
your
yours
his
hers
its
our
ours
their
theirs
Let's start with examples that are singular.
The dog's collar is red.
The blog's background is pink.
The family's house is on fire.
The law's effects are uncertain.
The park's lights were broken.
New York City's mayor just resigned.
Love's joy is immeasurable.
Matt Bayley's blog is now being updated more regularly.
add an apostrophe -s even when the noun ends in an "s"
The moss's texture is fuzzy.
The lens's zoom was amazing.
Tess's hat is squashed.
EXCEPTIONS: No apostrophe -s after the names of Jesus, Moses, Xerxes, or Socrates to avoid the additional "s" sound or adding an additional syllable after words ending in an "eez" sound.
Jesus' twelve disciples were his closest followers.
Moses' brother was named Aaron.
Xerxes' defeat was certain.
Socrates' death was a suicide.
**********************************************************
IF you really care... When you use the phrase "for _______ sake," the noun in the middle will have an -s ending and should only require an apostrophe.
For goodness' sake, put that snake down!
For appearance' sake, we decided to paint the house.
Yes, yes, that is straight from my beloved grammar book from college. I freely admit to being an uber English language geek. I do in fact have a dictionary by my bed for the "must look up" moments during reading at bedtime, and Todd and I do have rousing discussions centering on grammar - he is, quite possibly, worse than I am about this...
************************************************************
For plural nouns (or multiple people, places, things, ideas) it changes.
IF the word ends in an "s" only put an apostrophe.
IF it does not end in an "s" add an apostrophe -s.
The mice's cheese was poisoned.
The homes' builder was very proud.
The authors' signatures were unreadable.
The children's homework was too difficult.
My keys' location is unknown.
The Bayleys' family blog has many cute pictures on it.
Everyone's mood improves when it's sunny outside.
The calves' mother was named Old Bessy.
NO NEED to use an apostrophe when you are using a possessive personal pronoun (word that takes the place of a person's name/peoples' names) because it already shows possession.
my
mine
your
yours
his
hers
its
our
ours
their
theirs
Hope you are enjoying the sun! Woo HOO!
4 comments:
Hey! Would you do a grammar tidbit on affect vs. effect? :)
I'm finding these super helpful!!
This is soooo great...I needed help with this one. Since getting married, I've struggled with my new last name. So, I think I've been doing things correctly, but I'm checking with you. Simmons (pronounced like exercise man, Richard Simmons) becomes Simmons'...right? Maybe I'm wrong. Help! ;)
your friend Anne reminded me of something that just happened with our last name...in an email I got it said Crook's not Crooks', could have been a typo, but it made me laugh because the S is a part of the name then the apostrophe is added.
I also have seen Crooks's...that's wrong too, right? : )
After being in the family for 8 years I want to make sure I have it right! : )
Anne and Heather: Both last names are considered to be singular, so to make them possessive (my grammar book says there is some variation among writers regarding how to do this properly) add an apostrophe and then an -s to be "safe" and make it the "most clear." Apparently some writers disagree with this stylistically and would only use an apostrophe.
Now the tricky part is when you are referring your own family and your in-laws together as sharing the same last name. To make them plural you would write: Simmonses and Crookses
Now, to make THOSE plural versions possessive (if you and your in-laws both "own" something) you would write: The Simmonses' lake front property. The Crookses'condo in Coeur d'Alene.
I consulted my English teacher/ grammar guru mother-in-law to make sure this is correct, and she agreed with me, so hopefully this helps...
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