Questions tagged [possessives]
for questions about words and word forms used to indicate ownership, belonging, or a similar relationship.
498
questions
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1answer
39 views
How to differentiate between a singular noun’s possession and its plural one in spoken English
In spoken English if for example:
someone says “cars tires” then how to know if the speaker is talking about car’s tires or cars’ tires. Because the pronunciation is same for both.
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2answers
44 views
“My and her” or “mine and her”
I would like to simultaneously introduce my thesis partner Lisa and refer to our thesis. I.e. summarise the following in one sentence:
I conducted a thesis project with Lisa. As outlined in our ...
1
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2answers
53 views
“A/the degree of [a] doctor” vs. “a doctor's degree”
After four years in America, he got __________.
A. a degree of doctor
B. a doctor's degree
C. the degree of a doctor
D. a doctor degree
The correct answer is B but I want to know why not C or A?
...
0
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1answer
26 views
possessive apostrophe and THE for academic phrases
I am applying for PhD. In university's site I have seen several possessive phrases which have completely confused me. Which of these are correct?
1- UCI EECS Department / UCI Department of EECS / UCI'...
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vote
0answers
19 views
men paying/ men's paying
They are fetishising men paying the bill in heterosexual
couples.
I came across this sentence in a stand-up show. I wonder if it is grammatically correct?
I think this one is better since the ...
0
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1answer
25 views
“With vs Having” Showing Possession
I have a problem with the words "having" and "with" in the following context:
The computer is a machine having different parts.
The computer is a machine with different parts.
Do these ...
1
vote
1answer
14 views
Files' types vs Files types
I know that we need to use X's for belonging:
Boy's ball = the ball of the boy
Girl's book = the book of the girl
and for many:
Kids' toys = the toys of the kids
Dogs' food = the food of the dogs
...
2
votes
2answers
37 views
Why “Lord of the Rings” instead of “Rings' Lord”?
Is there any difference in meaning?
Are Possessive ’s and of interchangeable?
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1answer
32 views
Two people in the genitive case
I'm confused on how to talk about two people's past relationship in this sentence
"She knows about him and Frank's past" or
"She knows about he and Frank's past" or
"She knows about his and Frank's ...
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0answers
12 views
Opportunity analysis or Opportunities analysis?
Please help me to say it correctly in other words in English:
The Anasysis of opportunities. (it's from the SWOT analysis).
Considered options are:
1) Opportunities analysis
2) Opportunities' ...
0
votes
1answer
14 views
“A friend of one” vs “a friend of one's”
Tell me please of there is any difference between the following sentences?
A friend of Kate came over for my birthday party.
A friend of Kate's came over for my birthday party.
Are both ...
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0answers
27 views
“They have their own house” or “They have a house of their own”? [duplicate]
Is it correct if I say"They have their own house?" or does the variant "They have a house of their own" suit better from the point of view of grammar?And if both of the variants do exist, is their ...
0
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4answers
56 views
Are any possessive apostrophes needed here? “…headphones for their iPhones”
I am a new English learner and need some assistance with understanding when to properly use an apostrophe for showing possession.
I have an example sentence:
Sophie, Brock, and Hannah all own ...
0
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2answers
62 views
“a car of his son” is wrong to use/but/ “a friend of mine” is alright?
There's a question asking which answer is correct in "He uses [a car of his son /his son's car]."
While I know the right one is 'his son's car', I also remember that I surely heard of 'a friend of ...
-1
votes
1answer
39 views
Confusion about the use of the possessive in the field name “Women's studies”
Why does the field Women's studies take the possessive s?
And why is it not the case for "Archaeological studies", for example?
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Why I can't use “that its” in this case?
I faced a question where I was supposed to fill in the missing blank. The question was:
The large family _____ house had been destroyed by the storm was invited to stay at a hotel.
There were ...
0
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1answer
39 views
“whose” vs “that its” in English
I'm an English learner and today I faced a question where I was supposed to fill in the missing blank.
The question was:
The large family _____ house had been destroyed by the storm was invited to ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
“heart function” or “heart's function”
What's the correct genitive construction of heart and function?
Should it be "heart's function" or "heart function"?
For instance:
"The heart function is to supply blood to whole body."
or
"...
0
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1answer
44 views
question about plural and possesives [closed]
Is this dialogue correct? (regarding plural and possessives) Thank you.
"I like it; keep going. Would you want some more clovers? I can bring you some," the fairy said.
"Yes! Thank you... What'...
0
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2answers
55 views
What is correct (possessive question)
I haven't the foggiest how to express this basic idea correctly in English:
The meaning is "the trip that Paul and I will make to London". So, is "Paul and I's trip to London" or "Paul and mine trip ...
0
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0answers
25 views
Possessive case: cosmetic issue prevention or cosmetic issues prevention
Which is correct: cosmetic issue prevention or cosmetic issues prevention?
(That is, prevention of cosmetic issues. The context is just a title, something like: Cosmetic Issue Prevention Products.)
0
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1answer
23 views
Use of possessive in complex sentence
"It won't fall only on my shoulders, but also on the company that I'll be working for."
Is this sentence correct or does it need to show possession on the second sentence, like "on the company's (...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
How to chose between “get” and “have got”?
In a class context, would a student, asking about the homework and if any homework is due for today, ask:
Did we get any homework for today?
or
Have we got any homework for today?
Or can both ...
0
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0answers
22 views
Can I use possessive with “number + noun”, “noun + noun” and “adjective + noun”?
Can I use possessive with "number + noun", "noun + noun" and "adjective + noun"?
1) I guess this is one man's shirt.
2) I guess this is two women's house.
3) I guess this is three boys' ...
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vote
2answers
51 views
Do you say “ me and my brother’s room” or “ my and my brother’s room” ? Thanks in advance for your answer
I’m not suore which of the two is correct......Me and Tessa’s Books or My and Tessa’s books ? Couldn’t find an answer in grammar books.
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0answers
29 views
Basic question about plural and possessive
I have multiple tables of different colors.
What is the correct saying if I want to talk about the colors of all the tables ?
The tables' colors.
The table's colors.
The tables colors.
...
0
votes
3answers
14 views
Which is the correct form “Timisoara's public transport network” or Timisoara public transport network?
I often see it without the 's on the maps around the world.
Is it grammatically correct to write it without the 's
0
votes
1answer
25 views
time possessive [duplicate]
It will take 5 days to manufacture them
It took us half an hour to wait
If I want to change the sentences above to noun phrases, time's possessive form, can I write them as below, thanks in ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Use of "s' with apostrophe
Is it really necessary to use 's for possessive case when used for things and places? I mean if we say:
Church marble flooring
It does make sense. I feel that it isn't necessary to put 's in this.
...
4
votes
2answers
97 views
Possessive of multiple words
How do you write a possessive of a noun that has a phrase describing it?
Example:
[The dog at the park]'s food
The food belongs to the dog, not the park. What is the proper way to write something ...
2
votes
3answers
54 views
“results' statistics” vs. “results statistics”
How should I write this. There are many results.
we remove them them from our results' statistics
vs.
we remove them from our results statistics
vs.
we remove them from our result ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
“its something of” vs “something of it”
I am bit confused between the Possessive adjective and Preposition
I got a car from India for my brother and its one wheel are made from Germany.
I got a car from India for my brother and one ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
“ species ” or “ species' ” or “ species's ”?
In an example used for describing the meaning of the word "biodiversity" in Cambridge dictionary the phrase "species habitat and biodiversity" is used:
the number and types of plants and animals ...
0
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1answer
689 views
{days / days'} worth of stuff?
I'm confused.
When reading a novel, I've encountered
It's around 3 days worth of stuff.
I thought "why not 3 days' worth of stuff?"
So I checked the Sketchengine, and got 2.2k results for "days ...
0
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0answers
45 views
What can I use with living things to indicate possession other than “-'s”, “for” and double genitive?
A lot of grammar books say that with living things (a cat, a man), one can only use an -'s , for or double genitive so the only correct ways to say that a boy owns a hat are:
A boy's hat (...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Possessive “s” vs no possessive “s” when referring to animate objects
Which one is better (as a question in a forum):
Number of family members: ......
Number of family's members: .....
0
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1answer
32 views
“Seventeen days' notice” versus “seventeen day's notice” [duplicate]
Even in those days, this was incredibly rude! Giving the President of your country only seventeen days'' notice before making a speech, especially as he wasn’t top of the bill, would be unthinkable ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Family or family's?
I have a rather silly question that I can not work out the answer for. I've overthought it so much that I seem to have confused myself.
If I am referring to something that belongs to my family would ...
2
votes
1answer
24 views
“Titan Dahl's hedge fund's website” vs. “Titan Dahl hedge fund's website”
Titan Dahl's hedge fund's website"
or
Titan Dahl hedge fund's website
Methinks the second is correct. I need to know which of the sentences above is correct as I add plenty of references to an ...
0
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2answers
34 views
'I want to study all of them's subtitles.' - is that correct?
Please tell me, can I say following:
I got 10 movies and I want to study ALL OF THEM'S English subtitles.
My question refers to the words all of them's. Can I say that or must I use the normal
...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Is it considered wrong to make a noun that is modified possessive?
I have heard people do this--make a noun that is modified with additional information (e.g. Aaron who didn't finish college's mom, The dog that is dirty's owner, etc.) possessive, but I don't think I'...
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0answers
49 views
The Difference between “the means of production” vs “means of production”?
Sometimes I see words like I mentioned that use without using article the.
Is there any difference in meaning?
Because as far as I know we should use article the for the possessive form of non-living ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
possessive form or adjectival noun
I cannot see a pattern or rule that enables me to decide whether I should use possession structure or adjectival noun.
election results: No one writes election's results and election is a modifier ...
3
votes
2answers
452 views
I appreciate “you trying” or “your trying”?
You said the names wrong. But I appreciate you trying.
You said the names wrong. But I appreciate your trying.
I saw the first sentence in a TV-show. Is it grammatical? I thought sentence 2 was ...
0
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1answer
18 views
Concerning the use of the possessive form in this context
In this newspaper article, just under the "China is reluctant to get too involved" heading, the possessive form has been used thus:
Just a few minutes’ walk away from the Legislative Council ...
2
votes
2answers
149 views
Sir Alex Ferguson advice OR Sir Alex Ferguson's advice
I came across this title on a sports website
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should follow Sir Alex Ferguson advice over Real Madrid and Paul Pogba
and was wondering why there was no possessive.
Ole ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
Am I correct about possessives?
1 When you say about a bird in general, you say "This is a feather of a bird", you can also say "This is a bird's feather".
a. So when you say "These are feathers of a bird", so will you say "These ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Can you help me explain this?
1 When I say "This is a pig's trough.", so is the word "a" describing or attached to "pig" or "trough"?
2 When I say "This is the pigs' trough.", so is the word "the" describing or attached to "pigs" ...
0
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1answer
100 views
Which is better? “Student Performances” or “Students' Performances”
I was told to use "Students' Performances" instead of "Student Performances" for the cover page of a video project that shows the performances of students from several schools for a rally and ...
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8answers
5k views
Is there a rule that prohibits us from using 2 possessives in a row?
An English teacher made a comment on my usage of the phrase, "Our last week's meeting", saying that it should be, "last week's meeting", is there a rule for this?
