Comments on: Confusing Possessives

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:26:53 +0000

Since you and Ruby don’t co-own hands, it’s better to write, “He touched my hand and Ruby’s hand.”

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:35:34 +0000

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!

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:12:45 +0000

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.

By: Liz Jameson

Liz Jameson — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:06:30 +0000

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!

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:25:14 +0000

Yes, you can!

By: Cassie Tuttle

Cassie Tuttle — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:27:02 +0000

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!

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:34:57 +0000

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.

By: Liz Jameson

Liz Jameson — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:13:02 +0000

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

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:44:52 +0000

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.”

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:45:33 +0000

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”?