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Which is proper? I have looked for an answer but have not located any info for this question. I always thought John and Mary's was correct but a friend disagrees. Is it John's and Mary's party? Or John and Mary's party?

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John and Mary's party is referring to a party organized from both of them. John's and Mary's parties is referring to two different parties: one organized from John, and one from Mary.

Both are correct. Which one you use depends from the context.

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    If there were one party that John organized, and one that Mary did, surely party would have to become plural, right? "John's and Mary's parties were both fun" sounds okay to me, but it doesn't sound right if party is singular.
    – cbh
    Oct 8, 2016 at 13:47
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    You are correct; I was more focused on the partitive genitive than the usage of the plural.
    – apaderno
    Oct 8, 2016 at 13:51

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