Compound Possessives

Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Punctuation and other Writing topics.

How do I make a possessive?

Compound Possessives

To determine how to punctuate a compound possessive, first determine ownership.

If two people own something jointly:
Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

If two people both own separate things:
Ben's and Jerry's houses (We're assuming that they each have a house that they do not own jointly.)

   

Comments

3/26/2007 11:19:19 AM
PHILENE GOTSIS said:

GREAT- ANSWERED MOST OF MY ?. BUT WHAT IF BOTH NOUNS ARE PRONOUNS LIKE "HER AND MY BIKE," FOR EXAMPLE? THX, P. GOTSIS


3/27/2007 12:45:00 PM
Yvonne said:

Do you agree that Gayle and Oprah's Road Trip is correct since they shared the trip.(one trip)
The "Grammar Lady" on the Oprah show said that it should be a compound possessive since they both took the trip. I disagree since they are not talking about trips taken separately. A listener had called in to say that the show was advertising it incorrectly with the compound possessive, and the "Grammar Lady" said it was correct.


2/8/2009 12:19:23 PM
Nico in California said:

There's not much you can say about 'compound posessives', but there is about language in general. If you could come back, in let's say about four hundred years, you would have a difficult time recognizing the English language.


4/10/2009 11:55:15 PM
Abby said:

What about if you're saying it in 1st person? (Ben and mine's? Mine and Ben's?)




Name:


URL: (optional)


Comment:


Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Writing Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Byron White