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2.8 The genitive

2.8A How to show possession with 's, s' and the apostrophe (') on its own [> LEG 2.42-46]

1 We show possession in English with the genitive form of a noun. This means we normally use in singular 's and in plural s' for people and some living creatures. We put the possessive before the noun it refers to: Frank's car, teachers’ cars. (Not *the car of Frank/the car of Frank's*)

2 The simplest rule to remember is: Add 's to any personal noun unless it is in the form of a plural ending in -s, in which case, just add an apostrophe ('). This means:

- add 's to singular nouns and names not ending in -s: a boy's tie. Tom's hat.

- add 's to singular nouns ending in -s: an actress's career, a waitress's job.

- add 's to irregular plural nouns; children's games, the men's club, sheep's wool.

- add an apostrophe (') after the -s of regular plurals: the girls' uniforms.

- add 's to names ending in -s: Charles's address, Doris's party, St James's Park. Famous names ending in s just add ('); Yeats' poetry. This is pronounced /s/or/iz/.

Write: Rewrite these sentences using 's, s', or just an apostrophe ('). 1 This bicycle is for a child ... This is a child's bicycle. 2 This pen belongs to the teacher... 3 He described the career of the actress … 4 That's a job for a stewardess ... 5 These toys belong to the children ... 6 This is a club for women... 7 It's a school for girls... 8 This is the lounge for residents... 9 This umbrella belongs to James ... 10 That hat belongs to Doris...

2.8B Apostrophe s ('s/s'), compound noun, or of? [> leg 2.47-48,2.50]

1 When we want to show possession with things, we can use of: the leg of the table. However, we often prefer to use a compound noun instead of of. the table-leg [> 2.2B]. - hyphen ['haif(ə)n] дефіс

2 We must use of when we can't form a compound noun: the book of the film (Not *the film's book"); the top of the box (Not 'the box's top*) You can only learn these from experience. If you are in doubt, use of.

Write: Only where possible, use an apostrophe to show possession in these sentences. 1 That's the voice of a man That’s a man’s voice. 2 I can't see the bottom of the box …3 That's the decision of the committee ... 4 It's the fault of no one ... 5 This is a copy of the poetry of Keats ... 6 That's the leg of the table ... 7 Where's the key of the car?... 8 That's the bell of the village church that you can hear ... 9 These are the stables of the horses ...

2.8C The use of 's and s' with non-living things: 'an hour's journey' [> LEG 2.49-50] We use 's and s' with some non-living things:

- fixed phrases: the earth's surface, journey's end, the ship's company

- time phrases (singular): an hour's journey, a day's work, a month's salary

- time phrases (plural): two hours' journey, two days' work, two months' salary

Write: Use 's or s' only where possible with these:

1 a delay of an hour an hour’s delay 2 a journey of two days … 3 the shade of the tree ... 4 the book of the film ... 5 the inside of the box ... 6 the price of success ...7 work of seven years..... 8 the surface of the earth … 9 at the door of death ... 10 an absence of a year...

2.8D Omission of the noun after 's [> leg 2.513] We generally omit the noun after 's when referring to work-places, shops, and houses: at the doctor's, rather than at the doctor's surgery, my mother's rather than my mother's house.

Write: What could we use in place of the words in brackets?

1 Your mother/father has gone to (the shop owned by the hairdresser) the hairdresser's/barber’s. 2 I'll meet you at (the shop owned by the chemist). 3 I'm going to spend the night at (the house owned by my aunt). 4 We were married in (the church dedicated to St Andrew).

5 I bought this at (the department store owned by Marks and Spencer)

2.8E Write: Put in compounds and 's and s' constructions in this story. MIND YOUR SKIN!

We have become very conscious of conservation these days. A lot of people won't buy any goods made from (skins of animals) animal skins. In many parts of the world, it is now unthinkable for a person to dress in (a coat made of the skin of a leopard) 2... We realize that (the wildlife of the earth)3 ... needs protection. This affects such things as (clothing worn by children)4 ...and (coats worn by ladies)5 ...If (a fur coat worn by an actress)6... attracts admiration these days, it is probably created from man-made materials. Of course, we still farm animals for their skins, but the notice I saw in a shop recently must have been (the revenge of the crocodiles)7 ... It was selling crocodile-skin bags and offering the following service: ('skins of customers')8 ... made up'! Mind your skin!

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