Thursday, May 24, 2012

MSQ Grammar Lesson #10: Possessives

Possessives
  • Quite simply, possessives are used to demonstrates ownership.

To create a possessive with a singular noun or a plural noun that does not end in s, add ‘s. Adding only s will make the noun plural instead of possessive singular noun.
  1. Incorrect: The dogs fur looked nice and shiny after his bath.
  2. Correct: The dog’s fur looked nice and shiny after his bath.
  3. Incorrect: I noticed this morning that my boss’ car had a huge dent.
  4. Correct: I noticed this morning that my boss’s car had a huge dent.
  5. Incorrect: My families lake house is the best place in the world.
  6. Correct: My family’s lake house is the best place in the world.

To create a possessive with a plural noun that ends in s, just add an apostrophe. This includes plural nouns that end in ies.
  1. Incorrect: I can’t find the boys’s pajamas.
  2. Correct: I can’t find the boys’ pajamas.
  3. Incorrect: The recipes should list all the different drinks ingredients.
  4. Correct: The recipes should list all the different drinks’ ingredients.
  5. Incorrect: All the different companies’s parking lots are on the south side of the building.
  6. Correct: All the different companies’ parking lots are on the south side of the building.

With possessive pronouns (his, hers, ours, yours, whose, theirs, its), don’t use apostrophes. When preceding a noun, his, her, our, your, whose, and their, you don’t need an s because they are already possessive. Be careful with its (possessive) vs. it’s (contraction).
  1. Incorrect: My mom told me she wants her car back in it’s normal spot in the garage by midnight.
  2. Correct: My mom told me she wants her car back in its normal spot in the garage by midnight.
  3. Incorrect: Is this towel mine, or is it your’s?
  4. Correct: Is this towel mine, or is it yours?
  5. Incorrect: Jamie said that this is her sweater, so it must be her’s.
  6. Correct: Jamie said that this is her sweater, so it must be hers.

Sources: Rutgers Guide to Grammar and Style; Elements of Style; OWL

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