9 th 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-3 Ownership Origin Authorship Measurement Showing Possession Apostrophes are used to show the following: Kim’s book Dr. Moss’s prescription Hemingway’s works ten years’ experience

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-4 Showing Possession How do we know where to place apostrophes?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-5 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.   

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-6 Following Five Steps in Placing Apostrophes  Reverse the nouns. Use the second noun to begin a prepositional phrase. book of Kim works of Hemingway experience of ten years

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-7 Following Five Steps in Placing Apostrophes  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)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-8 Following Five Steps in Placing Apostrophes  If the ownership word does NOT end in an s sound, add an apostrophe and s. Kim’s book Hemingway’s works

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-9 Following Five Steps in Placing Apostrophes  If the ownership word DOES end in an s sound, usually add an apostrophe only. ten years’ experience employees’ wages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-10 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

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-11 Try Your Skill 2.All adminis- trator(s) salaries will be reduced. 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? administrators’

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-12 Try Your Skill 3.That attorney(s) prices are too high. 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? attorney’s

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-13 Try Your Skill 4.You will receive four month(s) interest. 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? months’

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-14 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-15 Descriptive Versus Possessive Nouns When nouns describe or identify only, apostrophes are not used. Sales Division (not Sales’ Division) Human Resources Department (not Human Resources’ Department) United States Army (not United States’ Army)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-16 Compound Nouns The final element of the compound shows the possessive. father-in-law’s signature editor in chief’s suggestions

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-17 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. (What is implied?) Darren’s exam is earlier than Craig’s.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-18 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: Both the men’s and women’s locker rooms are clean. Scott’s and Mike’s cars are for sale.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-19 Separate or 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?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-20 Look at the object owned (apartment, inheritance). If that object is singular, ownership is usually combined.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-21 Names of Organizations Organizations with possessives in their names may or may not use apostrophes. Follow the style they use. Domino’s Pizza Noah’s Bagels McDonald’s Starbucks Chevys Fresh Mex Mrs. Fields

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-22 Abbreviations Make abbreviations possessive by following the same guidelines as for other nouns. CPAs’ convention Levi Strauss & Co.’s jeans

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-23 Awkward Possessives Reword awkward expressions by using prepositional phrases. How could the following be improved? (Hint: Start with the ending noun.)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-24 the pension of the chief of police the business of my friend’s father the 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 pension my friend’s father’s business Mr. Saltzman, my attorney’s advice

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-25 Learning Objectives Determine whether an extra syllable can be pronounced in forming a possessive. Make proper nouns possessive.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-26 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-27 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-28 tests for the class the motorcycle of Les the table of the waitress the job of Ms. Betz Extra Syllable Can Be Easily Pronounced the class’s tests Les’s motorcycle the waitress’s table Ms. Betz’s job

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-29 economy of Arkansas Extra Syllable Cannot Be Easily Pronounced Arkansas’ economy (not Arkansas’s) the house of Mr. Aristophases Mr. Aristophases’ house (not Aristophases’s)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-30 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 testimony students’ 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 Style Popular Style Jones’sJones’ Barnes’sBarnes’ Russ’sRuss’ Gomez’sGomez’

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-32 TIP This difference in style exists ONLY for singular proper nouns ending in s sounds.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-33 Making Difficult Proper Nouns Possessive Plural proper nouns are made possessive after the final s sound. Singular Proper Noun Plural Proper Noun Plural Possessive Form Jonesthe Jonesesthe Joneses’ car Barnesthe Barnesesthe Barneses’ car Lopezthe Lopezesthe Lopezes’ car

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-34 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-35 Try Your Skill One prepositional phrase appears on each of the next eight slides. Change each into its traditional and popular apostrophe construction.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-36 Try Your Skill #1 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the car of Mrs. Metz Mrs. Metz’s car Mrs. Metz’ car

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-37 Try Your Skill #2 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the vacation of the Metzes the Metzes’ vacation

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-38 Try Your Skill #3 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the car of Mr. Williams Mr. Williams’s car Mr. Williams’ car

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-39 Try Your Skill #4 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the job of Mrs. Flores Mrs. Flores’s job Mrs. Flores’ job

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-40 Try Your Skill #5 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the children of the Harrises the Harrises’ children

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-41 Try Your Skill #6 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the computer of Russ Russ’s computer Russ’ computer

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-42 Try Your Skill #7 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the car of the Gomezes the Gomezes’ car

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-43 Try Your Skill #8 Prepositional Phrase Traditional Form PopularForm the opinion of Ms. Sanchez Ms. Sanchez’s opinion Ms. Sanchez’ opinion

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 9e 5-44 “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