The boy has three coats. His coats are in the closet.
According to the above sentences, is this sentence grammatically correct?
The three boy's coats are in the closet.
I know it is wrong, but I do not know why.
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It feels better to write "The three coats of the boy are in the closet." There is no ambiguity whether it is about three boys, or just one. – Horror Vacui Jun 8 '20 at 18:34
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1Your sentence would be grammatically correct if the "boy's" were used to indicate what kind of coats they are. For instance, a store could have four boy's coats and three girl's coats on a rack. But that's because it's not used as a possessive. – Mary Jun 8 '20 at 22:12
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Three is an adjective of quantity that describes the word "coats" not the boy, therefore; it should read: the boy's three coats are in the closet.The example you've provided is grammatically correct but it means that there are three coats that are the size and style of a boy are in the closet, which is not what you're trying to say.
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You can say 'the three boy's coats'; you seem to suggest that it is wrong, when it is not. – Michael Harvey Jun 8 '20 at 20:13
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2"Three boy's coats" would generally be coats in sizes meant to fit boys, i.e. coats made for boys to wear. – Abdelrhman Noureldeen Jun 8 '20 at 21:15
