English Grammar
POSSESSIVES
Formation and use of the possessive in English.
POSSESSIVE FORM:
The possessive form is used to indicate ownership.
Possessives in English are formed according to a set of rules. Here is a brief summary:
The possessive form is used to indicate ownership.
Possessives in English are formed according to a set of rules. Here is a brief summary:
| Rule | Example | |
| Singular Nouns : (even if the meaning is plural, or if there are several words.) |
Add 's after the possessor. | - Tom's car - The cat's tail. - The children's toys - The Queen of England's jewels |
| Plural Nouns | Add 's after the plural 's'. | - My parents' car. - The students' rooms. - My grandparents' house |
| Names/nouns ending in 's' | Add 's after the last 's'. (IF the possessive 's is pronounced) |
- Denis's wife - Gladys's job - The boss's office. |
| Double Possessive | Add 's after the possessor's name, or use a possessive pronoun. |
- A friend of my father's (one of them, not the only one) - A friend of Julie's - A friend of mine/his/hers/ours/yours/theirs. |
| Shops and people's homes | Often take the possessive. | - At the hairdresser's - At the dentist's - At the Brown's |
| Time expressions | We say "a month's pay" because it is equal to one month of work. | - A day's pay - Today's newspaper - In a year's time |
N.B.:
The possessive 's is ONLY used for living things and groups or institutions.
It is not used for inanimate
nouns.
- living things (humans and
animals) :
- John's car
- my sister's house
- the headmaster's office
- the cat's milk
- the dog's tail
- the horse's ears
- groups and institutions :(which suggest a group of people)
- the government's proposal
- the company's policy.
- the council's recommendation
- the company's policy
- the policy of the company
- BUT :
- the door of the car (not the car's door)
- the leg of the table (not the table's leg)
- the roof of the house (not the house's roof)