POSSESSIVE
I. Possessive “’s”
1. Uses
- We use (’s), mostly for people or animals, as a determiner to show that something belongs
to someone or something.
Is that Olivia’s bag?
Don’t step on the cat’s tail.
- We also use possessive ’s to talk about time and duration
Is that yesterday’s paper?
I’ve only had one week’s holiday so far this year.
- It’s also possible to use possessive ’s for continents, countries, cities, schools
the world’s population
Italy’s prime minister
- We can also use it to talk about money and worth
fifty dollars’ worth of picture
- We use possessive ’s with the word 'life'.
life's stresses and pressures
life's daily challenges
- We use possessive ’s with words such as one, anyone, someone, anybody, somebody
It’s important to know one’s rights as a tenant.
Is this someone’s coat here?
When we use else with these words, the ’s is added to else
Why didn’t you come? Everyone else’s husband was there.
- We can also use it in complex noun phrases
Greg is her youngest daughter’s husband.
- We can use two possessive ’s constructions in the same noun phrase
We went to Jake’s father’s funeral.
- We can use possessive ’s after more than one noun
Jack and Karen’s wedding
Mr and Mrs Carter’s house
2. Rules
- We use /’s/ with irregular plural nouns (e.g. children, men, people, women):
The children’s parents decided which university they would go to.
They have no respect for other people’s property.
- When a first or second name ends in -s, we add /’/.
Is that James’ car? (or Is that James’s car?)
I love Keats’ poetry. (or I love Keats’s poetry.)
- With compound nouns, we add ’s to the final noun
My sister-in-law’s friend came with us
- When we talk about places or things which are familiar to the speaker and the listener, we
sometimes don’t use the noun after possessive ’s
We decided to go to John’s after the cinema.
(= We decided to go to John’s house after the cinema.)
- In short answers, we can omit the noun if it is not necessary to repeat it
A: Is that your coat?
B: No, it’s Sandra’s.
II. Possessive with “of”
1. We use “of” with a long group of words
The name of the boy sitting by the door
2. We use “of” for things, ideas, …
a page of the book
the beauty of nature
Sometimes, the structure without “of” is possible
handle of the door = the door handle
the temperature of water = the water temperature
3. We say the beginning/ end/ middle + of > the beginning of the month
the top/bottom + of > the top of the hill
the front/ back/ side + of > the back of the car
4. We use of with possessive pronouns
A friend of mine told me that all of the tickets have already sold out.
Is Linda McGrath a close friend of yours?
5. We use of with possessive ’s noun phrase
He’s a brother of Maria’s.
A friend of my sister’s has opened a café on Dawson Street.
III. Using both “of” and “’s”
1. We can usually use ‘s or of for an organization (=a group of people)
the government’s decision = the decision of the government
the company’s success = the success of the company
2. When referring to places, either "'s" or "of" can be used, but the choice depends on the
context and the specific relationship being expressed.
the name of the village
the capital of Spain
3. Sometimes when we first mention a noun, we use of, and later when we refer to it again,
we use ’s
The mountains of Pakistan are mostly in the north. At least one hundred of them are
above 7,000 metres … Most of Pakistan’s mountains are in the spectacular
Karakoram range.
IV. Possessive determiner and Possessive pronoun
- We use pronouns to refer to possession and ‘belonging’.
- We use possessive determiners before a noun.
- We use possessive pronouns in place of a noun.
- We avoid using its and one’s as possessive pronouns except when we use them
with own:
The house seemed asleep yet, as I have said, it had a life of its own.
One doesn’t like to spend too much time on one’s own.
V. WHOSE ….?
WHOSE + NOUN + V-TOBE + THIS/THESE?
e.g. Whose phone is this?
> It’s mine.
Whose cars are these?
> They’re John’s.
THERE’S AND THERE ARE
1. There’s = There is
(+) There is + uncountable nouns/ singular nouns
e.g. There is some milk in the fridge
There is a pen in the bag
(-) There is not + any + uncountable nouns/ singular nouns
e.g. There is not any notebook in the bag
(?) Is there any + uncountable nouns/ singular nouns
e.g. Is there any sugar?
NOTE:
a/ an/ one + singular countable nouns
no/ a little/ little/ much/ a lot of + uncountable nouns
2. There are
(+) There are + plural nouns
e.g. There are 45 students in the class
(-) There aren’t + plural nouns
e.g. There aren’t many toys in my class
(?) Are there any + plural nouns
e.g. Are there any tables in the kitchen?
(?) How many + plural nouns + are there …..?
e.g. How many students are there in your classroom?
NOTE:
Some/ many/ a lot of/ a few/ few/ several/ …. + plural nouns