Confusing Possessives
Example: Mother’s Day vs. Mothers’ Day vs. Mothers Day
With titles, you may think of the word in front of the noun as either singular, plural, or possessive. For example, do you think of the holiday as belonging to each mother individually (Mother’s Day) or to all mothers collectively (Mothers’ Day)? Or do you think of the word Mothers as an adjective describing Day? There is no right or wrong answer to this question.
The same holds true for other holidays.
Examples:
Secretary’s Day vs. Secretaries Day vs. Secretaries’ Day
Boss’s Day vs. Bosses Day vs. Bosses’ Day
Do you think of each secretary or boss “owning” the day individually (Secretary’s Day/Boss’s Day), as a group “owning” the day (Secretaries’ Day/Bosses’ Day), or as a plural adjective (Secretaries Day/Bosses Day)? Again, there is no right or wrong answer.
The Chicago Manual of Style lists the following holidays as singular possessives: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. Plural possessive is used for Presidents’ Day.
Your guess is as good as anyone’s about Secretary’s vs. Secretaries’ vs. Secretaries Day and Boss’s vs. Bosses’ vs. Bosses Day.
What would you do if we had a Children’s Day holiday? Because Children is an irregular plural (not formed by adding an s or es), you would have to use the apostrophe in the title because there is no such word as Childrens.
Example: Children’s Hospital
Posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2008, at 7:00 pm
60 Responses to “Confusing Possessives”
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This could be mother’s club if my mother had a club of her own.
Thank you so much for this blog and the grammar website. When I started posting on our blog site, I realized how much grammar I had forgotten. (Did use that comma properly? No, seriously, did I? You have ruined my life but in a good way! Thanks so much.
Scott
Susan, you are correct.
Scott, happy to have ruined your life in a good way. Yes, you used the comma properly!
If you look at the Apostrophe section of http://www.grammarbook.com, you’ll see that “Dennis’s stepmother” would be the preferred answer.
Where does the apostrophe go when proper names end in s? Dennis’s stepmother, Peggy. Or should it be Dennis’ stepmother, Peggy.
I am cataloguing a collection of uniforms. One may have belonged to a particular person, another is a stock example. I must head each entry with an object name. After reading your section on the apostrophy, I think each entry should be “Woman’s Uniform”. Is using the singular form correct, even though the uniform applies to the dress of all women in the service?
Alright, I just finished reading the latest email from you which informed me that class (singular) would be class’s in the possessive. For example: The Spanish class’s grades were exemplary. That is to say that a single Spanish class has good grades. Now in the paragraph about the club for Moms, I see ‘Mothers’ Club’ with no ‘s’ after the apostrophe. What is the difference? Is it that mother doesn’t already end in ‘s’?
Mandy, I would still use “Women’s Uniforms.”
April, Yes, it’s “Mothers’ Club” without another “s” because “Mother” does not have an “s” in it. The rule, which you will find in the apostrophe section of http://www.grammarbook.com, is actually simple:
Use the apostrophe and then the “s” for singular possession.
For plural possession, form the plural of the word first, then use the apostrophe. If the word does not form a plural by adding an “s,” such as “women,” then after you add the apostrophe, you will also need to add an “s.”
Examples: one mother’s children v. two mothers’ children
one woman’s children v. two women’s children
Officer’s mess or the officers’ mess. Lovers’ Rock or the Lover’s rock? Personally I will use …Officers’ mess. What do you say?
Officers’ mess or officers mess without using the possessive. Definitely not officer’s mess as we don’t mean one officer.
Lovers’ Rock for the same reason.
Then Mothers Day would be just as correct as Mothers’ Day or Mother’s Day?
Yes. Mothers Day may be written without the possessive. Also, some people think of Mother’s Day as the singular possessive; others argue that we should write Mothers’ Day to show plural possession.
I’m pretty sure the following sentence needs an apostrophe, but I’m not completely confident, because the thing Chicago is possessing comes before–not directly after. What is the rule on this?
…”Lake Michigan, one of Chicagos most beautiful lakes.”
And, what is the rule about “of,” if one writes, “the lives of cats and dogs,” an apostrophe is not needed, right?
Thanks so much for your help.
Yes, use the apostrophe for: Lake Michigan, one of Chicago’s most beautiful lakes
No, don’t use the apostrophe for: the lives of cats and dogs
One more little apostrophe question…
The common phrase “our heart’s desire,” is to my knowledge usually written in this way. But, I’m editing a piece and that phrase is troubling me because the “our” is representing a large group of people. These people all have one “desire” but they have many hearts.
So is this correct: “our hearts’ desire”?
It’s okay to say “our heart’s desire” or our hearts’ desires.” I wouldn’t mix the plural possessive with a singular noun following as in “our hearts’ desire.”
The sentence would be better this way: Some seniors who are unable to visit libraries call to ask about programs and resources offered within their communities.
In the following statement, should community be singular or plural? Some seniors who are unable to visit libraries call to ask about programs and resources offered within the community. Would it matter if it said “their community”? Thanks!
Liz
So relieved to hear that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to some of these confusing possessives …. But I’m equally glad that CMOS does give us some guidance. Now I can go ahead and firm up my menu for NEW YEAR’S DAY.
Thanks, Jane!
Yes, you can!
Which is correct? “The counselor may assess you and your husband’s health insurance coverage.” OR “The couselor may assess your and your husband’s health insurance coverage”? I think it’s “your” because this sentence refers to two different coverage plans for two individuals. It makes sense to me that if I were talking about the couple’s joint home insurance, I would then say “you and your husband’s coverage.” Am I correct? Thanks!
Corrrect: The counselor may assess your and your husband’s health insurance coverage.
Even if this were only one coverage rather than separate ones, it would be confusing to write, “The counselor may assess you…” To be very clear that separate coverages are being assessed, you may want to write, “The counselor may assess your health insurance coverage as well as your husband’s.
Which possessive prounoun should be used:
He touched mine/my and Ruby’s hands.
You wouldn’t want to say Our, if you wanted to be specific about the other person. Neither sounds correct. Help!
Since you and Ruby don’t co-own hands, it’s better to write, “He touched my hand and Ruby’s hand.”
If you’re interested in putting the apostrophe back in its place you might like this very funny youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2aSz9Ficw and related iPhone app called The Apostrophe Song
Thank you for this!
Here’s one: I belong to a group. Historically, it has been called the MoM’s group (Mothers of Munchkins.) I wonder if this should really be Moms’ Group (or MoMs’ group) since it refers to many mothers. What’s your take?
Since you are using an acronym that already includes the plural use MoM’s Group or MoM’s group.
In India, there is a Children’s Day, which is usually a holiday for schools.
Hi I’ve just finished reading some of your lessons on apostrophes; I don’t get it all the way as if, “apostrophes, apostrophe’s or apostrophes’ ” should be used usually when you are talking about more than one thing? For example :
(1) Apostrophe’s can be hard to learn.
(2) Apostrophe can be hard to learn.
(3) Apostrophes’ can be hard to learn.
Correct usage here would be: Apostrophes can be hard to learn.
I am getting Christmas cards. They are all signed differently. If a person’s last name is Smith, would they sign “Love the Smiths or Love the Smith’s”
Since they are talking about the members of their family, this is a simple plural and does not indicate possession; therefore Smiths.
1. Once I asked my ESL Teacher if it was correct to say “It’s a beautiful summer’s day” The answer was no, you can only say summer day, she said. However, if I can go for a walk on a winter’s day (see California Dreaming Song) why can’t I do the same on a summer’s day?
Just because a word or phrase appears in a song title does not make it correct. That is sometimes the case with creative writing.
Every time we see you our heart’s fill with pride.
Is this the proper way to write it?
The word “hearts” does not need an apostrophe since it is not a possessive in this case.
Every time we see you our hearts fill with pride.
Thanks! My aim is to be a writer, but people always act like if I want to write a book I should already know everything about literature. I looked forever on the appropriate use of an apostrophe after a name that ends with ‘s’, but got sick of the complicated answers that said absolutely nothing. So thank you very much for putting up a simple answer with examples anyone could understand.
Thank you for your kind comment.
Kenzies Mom
Kenzie’s Mom or Kenzies’ Mom
Assuming that the person’s name is Kenzie, use the singular form, Kenzie’s mom. (Note that there is no need to capitalize mom.)
Please could you let me know which is the right way to say secretary in the following:
If you notice the coffee running low then please let one of the secretaries know so we can order some more.
Thank you!
The word secretaries is a simple plural in your sentence and is therefore correct.
This is actually one of my pet peeves – the misuse of apostrophes! It’s rampant!
I do have a question, if you could possibly help. I am a transcriptionist, and one of my doctors will say that he will see the patient back “in two weeks time”. Should that be “two weeks’ time” or no apostrophe?
Yes, you would use an apostrophe in the phrase two weeks’ time since it means “in the time of two weeks.”
I work as the creative director for an electronic greeting card website, and we are perplexed by this question every year when we prep our advertising materials. We usually go with what we see the public most often doing. I guess that is the power and sway of advertising’s tie to public opinion and taste. But then, that is exactly how language changes and grows.
When I was in school, the plural possessive was uniformly, s’s, ie: Mothers’s (belonging to a group of mothers). But I have observed in the last 20 years the migration by popular use and now touted rule turn to s’ for plural possessive, ie: mothers’
My final conclusion? English remains one of the most pliable and therefore delightfully confusing languages on Earth!
I think I typed in error in my last comment! In school, the plural possessive was not, as I claimed, s’s.. rather that was the practice when someone’s name ended in s, as in, “keeping up with the3 Jones’s pace”. Nowadays, we see the rule for the plural possessive, s’, being applied to singular possessives where the word or name ends with s.
“Keeping up with the Jones’ pace.” Oh, the horror!
Our blog “Apostrophes with Names Ending in s, ch, or z” addresses this in detail. Our rule states, “To show plural possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe.” Therefore, your example should read keeping up with the Joneses’ pace.
Similarly, our rule for singular possession states, “To show singular possession of a name ending in s, ch, or z, use the apostrophe and another s.” Such an example might be keeping up with Bob Jones’s pace.
I am looking for a specific grammar answer concerning Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession.
Can an object like a vehicle show possession, i.e. the vehicle’s key code ? Because anywhere I enter that (Word etc…) I receive a typo error and it is showing me I need to write vehicles key code, the things is that there is only one vehicle and the key code belongs to it!
Thank you and have a great day.
The same rules that apply to forming the possessive forms of names also apply to objects. The vehicle’s key code is correct. Spellcheck programs are often incorrect.
I have a question about the use of an apostrophe with a singular noun. My question is in regard to the International Screenwriter’s Association (www.NetworkISA.org). We’ve never had a complaint about the apostrophe s until now. The complaint is that this is not about 1 screenwriter and his or her association, it’s about every screenwriter. We have 60,000 members. Am I incorrect in putting an apostrophe s in the title of the business?
I really prefer not to keep looking foolish if I’m incorrect. Please help clarify this issue.
many thanks!
Your first sentence is interesting. Are you implying that you interpret the word in your title as a singular noun? If so, then Screenwriter’s is correct. Looking in from the outside, I would assume that the Association is representing all the screenwriters who have joined the organization, thus it is a plural noun and should be written Screenwriters’.
There is a little room for interpretation, as we demonstrate in our blog on certain holidays, like Mother’s/Mothers’/Mothers Day. That interpretation is up to you and your organization.
I’m no expert, but I think that the example for rule 7 on your Apostrophes page should be “my two brothers-in-laws’ hats.” At least, that’s how I interpret the rule.
This is certainly a tricky one. The singular is my brother-in-law and the singular possessive is my brother-in-law’s hat. The plural of this compound noun is my brothers-in-law (not my brother-in-laws nor my brothers-in-laws). Thus, following the rule of forming the plural first and then using the apostrophe, we get: my brothers-in-law’s hats or my two brothers-in-law’s hats.
I have a quick question. I am writing up a menu for Seniors for a restaurant and i am so confused as to whether i am supposed to use an apostrophe or not. Is it Seniors’ Menu or Senior’s Menu or just Seniors Menu? And another line in the menu states that “All seniors meals come with coffee or tea.” Does this need an apostrophe as well?
Please help!
If you think of the menu as belonging to the seniors, then you would write Seniors’ Menu. If you think of the word seniors as an adjective describing the word menu, then you would not use an apostrophe. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. “All seniors’/seniors meals come with coffee or tea” should be consistent with how you title the menu.
Hi Jane. Would an apostrophe be required in this newspaper article title? UPROAR OVER CLAIMS VICTIMS TO BLAME. The article states that someone (in position of authority) has accused a single victim being responsible for a specific crime committed against her because of her behaviour. Should it therefore read UPROAR OVER CLAIMS VICTIM’S TO BLAME?
It’s not unusual for newspapers to omit words they consider nonessential in titles in order to save space. If, as you explain, one individual is accusing one victim, then the title could be:
UPROAR OVER CLAIM VICTIM TO BLAME or UPROAR OVER CLAIM VICTIM’S TO BLAME or UPROAR OVER CLAIM VICTIM IS TO BLAME
However, if there are more than one individual accusing more than one victim, or even one individual making different accusations against more than one victim, then the title could be:
UPROAR OVER CLAIMS VICTIMS TO BLAME (the original title) or UPROAR OVER CLAIMS VICTIMS ARE TO BLAME
In the sentence, “I’m going to grandma’s.” should there be an apostrophe in “grandma’s” if the word “house” is implied but not stated?
Yes, as implied words and contractions are common in informal spoken and written English. Also, Rule 1 in our blog Kinship Names: To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize? says, “Capitalize a kinship name when it immediately precedes a personal name or is used alone, in place of a personal name.” A formal, grammatically correct sentence could be written “I am going to Grandma’s house.” Or, informally, “I am going to Grandma’s.”