9 th Edition, © 2008, Thomson/South-Western Chapter 5 Possessive Nouns.

9th Edition, © 2008, Thomson/South-Western

Chapter 5

Possessive Nouns

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-2

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish between possessive nouns and noun plurals.

• Follow five steps in using the apostrophe to show ownership.


OwnershipOwnership

OriginOrigin

AuthorshipAuthorship

MeasurementMeasurement

Showing Possession

Apostrophes are used to show the following:

Kim’s bookKim’s book

Dr. Moss’s prescriptionDr. Moss’s prescription

Hemingway’s worksHemingway’s works

ten years’ experienceten years’ experience


Showing Possession

How do weHow do weknow whereknow where

to place to place apostrophes?apostrophes?


Following Five Steps in Placing Apostrophes

Look for possessive construction. Usually two nouns appear together.

Have you seen Kim’s book?

Hemingway’s works are highly regarded.

Brad has ten years’ experience.



Reverse the nouns. Use the second noun to begin a prepositional phrase.

book of Kim

works of Hemingway

experience of ten years



Examine the ownership word. Does it end in an s sound?

Kim (does not end in an s sound)

Hemingway (does not end in an s sound)

years (does end in an s sound)



If the ownership word does NOT end in an s sound, add an apostrophe and s.

Kim’s book

Hemingway’s works



If the ownership word DOES end in an s sound, usually add an apostrophe only.

ten years’ experience

employees’ wages


Try Your Skill

1. That company(s) workers rely heavily on e-mail.

a. See the two nouns together?

b. Reverse the nouns.c. Examine the ownership

word.d. End in an s sound?e. Do you add an

apostrophe s or just an apostrophe? company’s


Try Your Skill

2. All adminis-trator(s) salaries will be reduced.




apostrophe s or just an apostrophe? administrators’


Try Your Skill

3. That attorney(s) prices are too high.




apostrophe s or just an apostrophe? attorney’s


Try Your Skill

4. You will receive four month(s) interest.




apostrophe s or just an apostrophe? months’


Learning Objectives• Distinguish between descriptive nouns

and possessive nouns. • Pluralize compound nouns, combined

ownership nouns, organization names, and abbreviations.

• Understand incomplete possessives.• Avoid awkward possessives.


Descriptive Versus Possessive Nouns

When nouns describe or identify only, apostrophes are not used.

Sales Division (not Sales’ Division)Sales Division (not Sales’ Division)

Human Resources Department (not HumanHuman Resources Department (not HumanResources’ Department)Resources’ Department)

United States Army (not United States’ Army)United States Army (not United States’ Army)


Compound Nouns

The final element of the compound shows the possessive.

father-in-law’s signaturefather-in-law’s signature

editor in chief’s suggestionseditor in chief’s suggestions


Incomplete Possessives• When the second noun is unstated but is

understood, the possessive is incomplete.

• Use an apostrophe to show possession even though the second noun is only implied.

The party is at Francisco’s. The party is at Francisco’s. (What is implied?)(What is implied?)

Darren’s exam is earlier than Craig’s.Darren’s exam is earlier than Craig’s.


Separate or Combined Ownership• When two nouns express separate ownership,

make both nouns possessive.

• When two nouns express combined ownership, make only the second noun possessive.

Separate Ownership:Separate Ownership:

• Both the men’s and women’s locker rooms are clean.

• Scott’s and Mike’s cars are for sale.


Separate or Combined Ownership

Combined Ownership:Combined Ownership:

• Dawn and Cheryl’s apartment is located near the campus.

• The husband and wife’s inheritance was substantial.

What clues have you learned to determine whether ownership is shared?


Look at the object owned Look at the object owned

((apartmentapartment, , inheritanceinheritance).).

If that object is singular,If that object is singular,

ownership is ownership is

usually combined.usually combined.


Names of OrganizationsOrganizations with possessives in their names may or may not use apostrophes. Follow the style they use.

Domino’s PizzaDomino’s Pizza

Noah’s BagelsNoah’s Bagels

McDonald’sMcDonald’s

StarbucksStarbucks

Chevys Fresh MexChevys Fresh Mex

Mrs. FieldsMrs. Fields


Abbreviations

Make abbreviations possessive by following the same guidelines as for other nouns.

CPAs’ conventionCPAs’ convention

Levi Strauss & Co.’s jeansLevi Strauss & Co.’s jeans


Awkward Possessives

Reword awkward expressions by using prepositional phrases. How could the following be improved? (Hint: Start with the ending noun.)


the pension of the chief of policethe pension of the chief of police

the business of my friend’s fatherthe business of my friend’s father

the advice of Mr. Saltzman, my attorneythe advice of Mr. Saltzman, my attorney

Awkward Possessives

Reword awkward expressions by using prepositional phrases. How could the following be improved? (Hint: Start with the ending noun.)

the chief of police’s pensionthe chief of police’s pension

my friend’s father’s businessmy friend’s father’s business

Mr. Saltzman, my attorney’s adviceMr. Saltzman, my attorney’s advice


Learning Objectives

• Determine whether an extra syllable can be pronounced in forming a possessive.

• Make proper nouns possessive.


Adding to the Five Steps

Look for possessive construction (usually two nouns appear together).

Reverse the nouns using a prepositional phrase.

Examine the ownership word.

Let’s review the five steps for placing the apostrophe in possessive constructions and add a refinement to Step 5.


Adding to the Five Steps

ADDITION: However, if an extra syllable can be easily pronounced in the possessive form, add an apostrophe and s. (This is usually true for singular nouns ending in s.)

If the ownership word does NOT end in an s, add an apostrophe and s.

If the ownership word DOES end in s, usually add an apostrophe only.


tests for the classtests for the class

the motorcycle of Lesthe motorcycle of Les

the table of the waitressthe table of the waitress

the job of Ms. Betzthe job of Ms. Betz

Extra Syllable Can Be Easily Pronounced

the class’s teststhe class’s tests

Les’s motorcycleLes’s motorcycle

the waitress’s tablethe waitress’s table

Ms. Betz’s jobMs. Betz’s job


economy of economy of ArkansasArkansas

Extra Syllable Cannot Be Easily Pronounced

Arkansas’ economy (not Arkansas’ economy (not Arkansas’s)Arkansas’s)

the house of Mr. the house of Mr. AristophasesAristophases

Mr. Aristophases’ house Mr. Aristophases’ house (not Aristophases’s)(not Aristophases’s)


Try Your Skill

1. testimony of the witness

2. books of the students

3. contracts of both companies

4. role of the actress

5. roles of the actresses

Change the following prepositional phrases into apostrophe constructions.

witness’s testimonystudents’ books

companies’ contracts

actress’s role

actresses’ roles

Making Difficult Proper Nouns Possessive

Probably the most difficult of all possessive constructions are those with proper nouns ending in s sounds. Two styles are currently used for singular proper nouns ending in s sounds.

Traditional StyleTraditional Style Popular StylePopular Style

Jones’s Jones’

Barnes’s Barnes’

Russ’s Russ’

Gomez’s Gomez’


TIP

This difference in style exists

ONLY for singular proper

nouns ending in s sounds.


Making Difficult Proper Nouns Possessive

Plural proper nouns are made possessive after the final s sound.

Singular Singular Proper Proper NounNoun

Plural Plural

Proper NounProper Noun

Plural Plural

Possessive FormPossessive Form

Jones the Joneses the Joneses’ car

Barnes the Barneses the Barneses’ car

Lopez the Lopezes the Lopezes’ car


Which is correct?

The butler stood by the door and called the guests names as they arrived.

OR

The butler stood by the door and called the guests’ names as they arrived.


Try Your Skill

• One prepositional phrase appears on each of the next eight slides.

• Change each into its traditional and popular apostrophe construction.


Try Your Skill #1

Prepositional Prepositional PhrasePhrase

Traditional Traditional FormForm

Popular Popular FormForm

the car of Mrs. Metz

Mrs. Metz’s car

Mrs. Metz’ car


Try Your Skill #2




the vacation of the Metzes

the Metzes’ vacation

the Metzes’ vacation


Try Your Skill #3




the car of Mr. Williams

Mr. Williams’s car

Mr. Williams’ car


Try Your Skill #4




the job of Mrs. Flores

Mrs. Flores’s job

Mrs. Flores’ job


Try Your Skill #5




the children of the Harrises

the Harrises’ children

the Harrises’ children


Try Your Skill #6




the computer of Russ

Russ’s computer

Russ’ computer


Try Your Skill #7




the car of the Gomezes

the Gomezes’ car

the Gomezes’ car


Try Your Skill #8




the opinion of Ms. Sanchez

Ms. Sanchez’s opinion

Ms. Sanchez’ opinion


“If a man empties his purse into his head, no

man can take it away from him. An investment in

knowledge always pays the best interest."

—Benjamin Franklin

9 th Edition, © 2008, Thomson/South-Western Chapter 5 Possessive Nouns.

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Transcript of 9 th Edition, © 2008, Thomson/South-Western Chapter 5 Possessive Nouns.