Hi friends, well tonight I'm going for my colleague's sister's wedding anniversary party.
My colleague's sister's wedding anniversary party. Colleague’s sister's? Too many s,
well in today's lesson, we are going to look at how do we use an apostrophe when you want
to show possession, something belongs to someone, okay. Often confusing, especially when you
have to write it or you know use it in a document, report or an email. For all of you, who write
emails regularly, this lesson is for you, listen and learn, how to use an apostrophe
when you talk about possession. So let's start with the basic cues. The first one that says,
Britain's coastline is beautiful. Okay, now the cost line, okay that belongs to Britain.
Okay, it belongs to Britain is beautiful. So when you want to show something belongs
to someone or something belongs to something, okay you put an apostrophe. It’s very important
to put an apostrophe especially when you're writing because if you don't and you just
put an s, it means Britains in plural and unfortunately, we do not have Britains in
plural. Okay, so Britain's, remember, the coastline that belongs to Britain. So Britain's,
now when we speak, we do not say Britain apostrophe s, we just say Britain's coastline is beautiful.
So you pronounce the s, okay that's how we use it in spoken English. Britain’s coastline
is beautiful, fine, simple.
Okay, the next one says, the girl's bedroom. So if I tell you, the girls' bedroom is big.
Okay, the girl's, one girl, alright apostrophe s. the bedroom that belongs to the girl is
big. So the girl's bedroom is big. So when you speak, you're gonna say, the girl's bedroom,
it's gonna sound like plural because when we speak, we don't say, the girl apostrophe
s, alright we don't say that. So it's gonna sound like a plural but remember your verb
is there in singular. The girl's bedroom is big. The bedroom that belongs to the girl
but now supposing a lot of girls, like say, many girls, about 4 to 5 girls share a bedroom.
Okay, I want to say, their bedroom, the bedroom that belongs to them. Okay, so I'm gonna put
a girl in the plural. Okay, you have girls; you will put an apostrophe after the s like
I have done here. So get the difference. Here is girl apostrophe s, one girl's bedroom.
Okay or the bedroom that belongs to one single girl but there is a bedroom that belongs to
many girls. Remember we always use a plural noun. So the girls, okay you have to show
possession using an apostrophe, use the apostrophe after the s and leave it. You do not add another
s because when a noun in the plural ends with s and you want to show possession, only put
an apostrophe, do not use another s. you can't have girls's. Okay so you say, the girl's
bedroom is big. Again, you pronounce it as girls. So remember friends, when you have
s in plural noun, just add an apostrophe. Okay supposing, you have a plural noun which
does not end in s. say, children, okay, so the children's room. Here you add an apostrophe
s for the simple reason, the noun is not ending in an s. the plural noun, so you say the children's.
Okay so when you speak, it sounds you know with an s. so you say, the children's room
is big. So remember there is no word as childrens. Okay, but when you speak, in spoken English,
the minute I say, the children's room, I'm talking about a possession, the room that
belongs to the children.
Okay, now the next one is, my boss's car is new. Now here, I'm talking about, one single
boss, it's singular but the singular is ending in an s. so you have two schools of thought.
So you either say, apostrophe s, this is correct. A lot of people would prefer writing it as
this but again the choice is yours. Remember when a singular noun ends in s, you can add
an apostrophe with another s, that's what I've done here. If there is also a group of
people, who would say, boss's but they will pronounce it as boss's. Okay, my boss's car.
So both are correct. The singular noun ending in s put an apostrophe, add another s. if
you do not agree with it, put an apostrophe, leave it, it still shows possession.
Okay, now what if I have more than one boss? my bosses, already in the plural, already
with an s. you cannot add another s. Okay, so when a plural noun ends with an s, you
will just put an apostrophe, not put another s to show possession. So this is in the plural.
Okay so a plural noun ending with an s, just add the apostrophe. Okay, friends, I hope
this is clear to you. If it is singular ending with an s, you add an apostrophe, add an s,
go ahead. If you don't, it's alright but if you want to show possession, keep the apostrophe.
Plural noun ending with an s, only apostrophe, there is no scope, there is no hope for another
s here but yes it shows possession. The car that belongs to two or more bosses of mine.
Right now, the next one says, we went to Maria's sister's wedding. Two possessives in this
sentence. Maria, did I go for Maria's wedding? No, I went for Maria's sister's wedding Maria
with an apostrophe, the sister that belongs to her, I went for her wedding. So, Maria's
sister's wedding. okay so that's what I told you, in the beginning, I'm going for my colleague’s
someone's so my colleague’s sister's wedding party. So I had two possessives and you will
also say it with an s, like Maria's sister's wedding. Okay, so that does not mean Maria's.
I mean many of her sisters are getting married on the same day. So you can have two possessives
using two apostrophes to show possession in a single sentence. So remember, I’m going
for the sister that belongs to Maria. I'm going for her wedding. so remember there are
a lot of people who get confused and say, hey we cannot say things like Maria's sister’s
wedding or people at Maria’s sister’s wedding or some people at Maria's sister wedding.
No, go ahead and use two possessives, two apostrophes to show possession.
The next one, the door handle is loose. Now I have not used an apostrophe, you must be
wondering, she's supposed to teach us possession with the apostrophe. Now for an object or
for a thing, you never use an apostrophe to show possession. A lot of people would say,
the door's handle, okay and this what I've heard people say, the door's handle is loose.
No for an object, you do not use the apostrophe. You will use the door handle. Like for example,
we never say, Samsung’s phones are good. We say Samsung phones are good. Yeah, so likewise
for an object, do not use the apostrophe s. well, for the matter of convenience, people
do speak like that but it is not correct. So, similar sentence, the kitchen table is
clean. Actually, we are talking about the table that belongs to the kitchen, that is
in the kitchen is clean but you don't say the kitchen's table is clean. Okay so do not
use an apostrophe. Okay, so this is absolutely fine. Alright friends, so do not say kitchen's
table. This is incorrect.
Okay, the next one is the name of the ship was Wonder queen. Now you must be wondering,
we always say my friend's name is but why can't I say, the ship's name was? Incorrect
because you do not show possession for objects if they are not a person, a company or an
organization, a country or an animal, okay, if you're talking about none of these four,
you will use the longer way, the name of the ship. Again, I’m telling you this, a lot
of people would say, the ship's name and it's not correct, okay. It an object so if something
that you want to show possession is not a person, is not a country, is not an organization
or an animal, go the longer way. don't use an apostrophe s. so for the ship, okay I've
said the name of the ship but when I introduce my friend to you, I say my friend's name because
he is a person and for a person, you can use apostrophe s. my friend's name is Andrew.
so let's quickly see, for a person, yes you will use an apostrophe s. okay for a place,
you will use an apostrophe s like we did in the beginning, for an animal, you will use
an apostrophe s and for an organization or a company, you will use an apostrophe s. alright
friends, so this is how we use the apostrophe in written English when you want to talk about
or when you express something or show possession. Alright friends, this brings me to the end
of this lesson, I have a small test for you. Go ahead and take it, let me know your scores.
I'll be back soon with a new lesson, till then take care and bye.