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Possessives

What is a possession? Something you own/control.

Retrieved on September 16, 2014 from Google images
[originally from http://ramonacreel.com/2012/04/04/life-among-the-breeders/countering-a-breeders-favorite-accusation/]
For example: Shirley owns 3 dolls

However, there is flexibility in expressing who owns/has what. That flexibility is expressed in possessives.

POSSESSIVES

The first example we can discuss are Possessive Determiners/Adjectives: (My, your, his, her, its, our, their). In a simple sentence (S+V+O), the determiners are used in the subject part of the sentence.

  • My house
  • Your car
  • His brother
  • Her sister
  • Its hair [Think of a dog or cat]
  • Our money
  • Their school

The second example we can discuss are Possessive Pronouns: (Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs). In a simple sentence (S+V+O) the possessive pronouns are in the object part of the sentence.

  • That house is mine.
  • This car is yours.
  • These chairs are his.
  • Those shoes are hers.
  • The money is ours.
  • That house is theirs.
* NOTE: I haven't heard anyone use "IT" in possessive pronouns.

'S AND S'


Another way to express possessives is the use 'S and S'.

The simple rule for 'S - It is a possessive for a singular person/item.

  • My mother's house is blue.
  • Her sister's hair is falling out.
  • Bill's car is fast.

 The simple rule for S' - It is a possessive for two or more people/items.

  • My grandparents' house is yellow [Both grand-father and grand-mother]
  • Her sisters' school is small [2 or more sisters]

*NOTE: What to do with a name that ends with S, such as James or Lewis? Simply add an apostrophe after the "s". For example:
  • James' car is fast.
  • Lewis' house is orange.
The problem most students have with 'S and S' is that it sounds the same and it becomes difficult to try and figure out during conversation which possessive does the conversation talk about. Usually a conversation will use the singular form ('s). However, if you feel you need clarification because the conversation sounds like it can be either a singular or plural, simply ask the speaker. 

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