AboutRosemary Lenc Expertise I am a retired Middle School teacher. I am an expert in grammar (structure of the English
language) and writing. I have been a volunteer with AOL Ask A Teacher and have
submitted many articles and special collections (one on diagramming sentences and one
with worksheets and answers so students can check their own practice on grammar skills)
to their knowledge database. I still am with them but would like other work where I can
help students with their English study. I have time to help you with this, if you want me. I
can help with grade school, middle school and high school grammar & writing and can
also look up information on literature (reading) for students and help them with it.
Please let me know if I can be of help in these areas. Thank you.
Rosemary Lenc
Experience
Past/Present clients Have helped many, many students in grade school language arts, middle school and high
school grammar and writing in both the chat rooms (live help that AOL use to have) and
message board answers plus the many students i have taught as a teacher.
Expert: Rosemary Lenc Date: 6/7/2007 Subject: Possessive forms
Question How to use possessive correctly?
A. The childrens' activity period lasts 15 minutes.
B. Carl's and Sara's schoolbooks are on the kitchen table.
I thought that putting children is already plural, so why add the s'. Carl's and Sara's are showing individual ownership.
Answer Dear Smitty,
Children is already plural, as you said. But to show possession to a plural that does not end in s, you need to add
apostrophe s ('s). So it would be children's activity.
Your second one is correct if each is owning their schoolbooks.
Here are rules for the usage of an apostrophe:
Here is where you use an apostrophe:
1. An apostrophe is used to show that one or more letters have been left out of a word to form a contraction.
Example: does not = doesn't; she would = she'd; it is = it's.
2. An apostrophe and s are used to form the plural of a letter, a number, a sign, or a word discussed as a word.
Example: A = A's; - 's; You use too many and's in your writing.
3. The possessive form of singular nouns is usually made by adding an apostrophe and s.
Example: Carter's daughter; Thomas's cabin; boss's work.
4. The possessive form of plural nouns ending in s is usually made by adding just an apostrophe. For plural nouns not ending in s , an apostrophe and s must be added.
Example: Joneses' great-grandfather; bosses' office; children's book
5. When possession is shared by more than one noun, use the possessive form for the last person in the series.
Example: VanClumpin, VanDiken, and Vantulips's fish...(all three own the same fish)
VanClumpis's VanDikens's and VanTulip's fish ....(Each guy owns his own fish)
6. The possessive of a compound noun is formed by placing the possessive ending after the last word.
Example: His mother-in-law's (singular) mouth; the Secretary of State's (singular) wife.
Their mothers-in-law's(plural) husbands; the Secretaries of State's (plural)
wives.
7. The possessive of an indefinite pronoun is formed by placing an apostrophe and
s after the last word.
Example: Everyone's ; anyone's ; somebody else's;
8. An apostrophe is used with an adjective which is part of an expression indicating time or amount.
Example: yesterday's news; a day's wage; a month's pay.
