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davex
OK well here's a beezer. How do you use apostrophes - especially when the noun ends in an 's' e.g. James??
Jul 5, 2010 12:04 AM
Answers · 4
1
Any apostrophe rule would also have to apply to plural possessive, as well as nouns (and names) ending in "s".
Unfortunately, "the dogs's kennels" looks a bit excessive, and "the fairly floss's colour" is falling into bizarreness. Too many S's! (S'??) So maybe we're fine with a tacked-on apostrophe and no extra "s". I believe that's the general rule...
Though Andrew does have a point, we *are* saying "James-es".
So my counter-question is, should it apply to a "z" ending also? "Jazz's story" or "jazz' story"?
Happy to theorise. ^^
July 5, 2010
I think the correct form is James'. As far as I know there is a rule about these nouns, although I can't remember it exactly, but this is how I form the genitive form of nouns ending in "s"
September 18, 2010
Maybe just "jazz story"? "Jazz" being not a possessive form, but a modifier?
July 11, 2010
In this case, I would write "james's dog", pronounced as jameses, where the apostrophe-s is denoting ownership.
A.
July 5, 2010
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davex
Language Skills
English, French, Russian
Learning Language
French, Russian
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