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It's a shameful question, but I always forget:

If a proper name ends in an "S", do you still need to add an extra "S" to show possession? Does it matter if it's a first or last name?

eg: Is it "Ellis' quick fox" or is it "Ellis's quick fox"?

 

[Pochacco]

The former.

 

[Eminem]

Yep. Ellis' quick fox

 

[border]

That's what I had thought. It's just one of those things I always forget....like the proper spelling of "tomorrow" or "barrel"....

 

[White Man]

Drats and double drats. For once all my years of training could've been useful, and I was too late. Beaten by chumps. YOU'VE RUINED MY LIFE POCHACCO AND EMINEM. I'M GOING TO GO CRY AND DYE MY HAIR BLACK (again).

 

[Miburou]

Actually, according to this book it should be "Ellis's quick fox".

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...104-5524452-7467109?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[EarthStormFire]

You are all WRONG.

This is how it works. If it is singular you add 's no matter what it ends in.

For example

James's house is blue. NOT James' house is blue.

If it is plural you only add ' if it already ends in s.

For example

The friends' letters were stolen.

 

[border]

Oh crap, controversy! Who to believe?

 

[GG-Duo]

I'm pretty sure it's " James' "

perhaps it's a country-specific thing?

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

You are all WRONG.

This is how it works. If it is singular you add 's no matter what it ends in.

For example

James's house is blue. NOT James' house is blue.

If it is plural you only add ' if it already ends in s.

For example

The friends' letters were stolen.

This man is right. My awesome public schooling taught me otherwise though, so I'm always doing it wrong.

 

[Pochacco]

PUNCTUATION FLAME WAR!
WHO TO BELIEVE? (OR WHOM TO BELIEVE?!)

 

[Loki]

I decided to consult my "Rules of Thumb: A Guide for Writers" book which has been collecting dust since freshman composition class many moons ago. It pretty much says the same thing that EarthStormFie said.

For possession in the case of singular nouns, you add an apostrophe and an "s", like so:

Gus's hair
Ms. Jones's opinion


For plural nouns, only an apostrophe is needed if the noun already ends in an "s":

My grandparents' dishes (belonging to both grandparents)
My friends' apartment (more than one friend lives there)


That's about all it says regarding it-- it's only one page in the book. It's weird, because although I knew of the latter rule (e.g., friends' as opposed to friends's), I would often employ the lone apostrophe in the case of singular nouns ending in "s" as well, as in "Gus' pants". You learn something new every day, I suppose.

 

[Eminem]

my schooling is owned.


and ACP, how do you like Art Damage?

 

[MIMIC]

Correct answer:

You add an "apostrophe -z"

 

[MIMIC]

I guess I've been doing it wrong all this time as well (the apostrophe after the -s with a word that ends in an "s.")

My "The Essential Writer's Companion" came in handy.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

The only instance in which you don't add an apostrophe and an s is when you're referring to a Biblical figure, like Jesus.

I don't think it really matters anymore, though. You've got all of these people here who thought the other way around was right, and that's really what determines what stays and what doesn't in the world of punctuation.

 

[way more]

Since you're asking the rule only when it applies to a proper name that ends in an "s," I think you can to whatever you feel like dammit! My copy of The Everyday Writer says nothing about the subject.

When Bridget Jones' Diary came out I remember hearing the title was wrong, then O.K.

The punctuation for the title of this movie is incorrect. It should be Bridget Jones' Diary. The second S is not necessary and is a common mistake. - Sally Sue
Correction: Sally, actually the punctuation is correct because apostrophe s ('s) shows the possessive e.g. Nikki's diary. A singular noun that ends in the letter s would need an apostrophe s to show possession. The only time you would just add the apostrophe without the s would be when the noun is plural e.g. the soldiers' swords. - Nikki
Correction: When a noun already ends in "s" you can decide whether or not to use another "s" after the apostrophe. E.g: Charles's car OR Charles' car.

From http://www.saunalahti.fi/frog1/goofs/B3.htm

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

and ACP, how do you like Art Damage?

Replied to the other thread just now

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Since you're asking the rule only when it applies to a proper name that ends in an "s," I think you can to whatever you feel like dammit! My copy of The Everyday Writer says nothing about the subject.

When Bridget Jones' Diary came out I remember hearing the title was wrong, then O.K.



From http://www.saunalahti.fi/frog1/goofs/B3.htm

It really isn't a big deal, but traditionally it should be Jones's.

 

[White Man]

Correction: When a noun already ends in "s" you can decide whether or not to use another "s" after the apostrophe. E.g: Charles's car OR Charles' car.

This is the way I was always taught, in 2 elementary schools and 2 high schools. My profs never ragged on it, or else I would've corrected it.

I guess the real correct answer is do whatever the hell you want. Is this covered in The Elements of Style?

 

[Loki]

I guess the real correct answer is do whatever the hell you want. Is this covered in The Elements of Style?

Is that the Strunk & Wagnall (sp?) book? That's the one I was originally looking for, but couldn't find it-- maybe it's in the garage. I had to settle for "Rules of Thumb". "Elements of Style" is generally considered to be the authority, however, as far as I know.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Yes, it is covered in The Elements of Style. That's where I learned my understanding of the whole thing.

 

[fart]

from what i remember this is just one of those consistency things. as usual no one can agree on one way to do it.

 

[White Man]

This is precisely why latin is better than english. Well, this and dumb people would be pretty much illiterate and we could make fun of them in writing without them ever knowing. lol, elitism.

 

[fart]

my literacy was blown off in the war, along with my tear ducts and kidneys. nowadays i filter my urine with pure willpower.

 

[White Man]

Garsh, the only thing I could recall from my war years is my part-time job as an under-the table accountant for the all-famous Mama San. Oh, and playing hot dice games.