Plurals and Possessives Essay

Fundamentals of Journalism (JOUR 1033)

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Sounds simple, doesn't it. You make a plural by adding an -s. You make a word possessive by adding 's.

But this is English. It ain't that simple.

<>The problem is further complicated by journalists' adherence to the Associated Press Stylebook. Following the rules there leads to constructions such as: for appearance' sake.
 <>Our best advice to you about plurals and possessives is to read and reread (and reread again) the entries in the stylebook. There are several sections each under plural and, separately, under possessive.

PLURAL NOUNS

<>Generally, the rule for making a noun plural is to add "s." But there are many exceptions, which you should study in your books. Recognize the difference between making a noun plural and making it possessive.

Understand that a noun can be plural as well as possessive:

Singular noun

Plural noun

Singular possessive

Plural possessive

boy

boys

boy's

boys'

child

children

child's

children's

Davis

Davises

Davis'

Davises'

IRREGULAR NOUNS

Some nouns are made plural in ways other than adding -s. They are called irregular plurals.

Singular
 Plural
child
    children
mouse     mice
deer     deer
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Nouns that end in -y will be made plural in one of two ways:

If the letter before the -y is a consonant, change the -y to -i and add -es:  army   armies
If the letter before the -y is a vowel, just add an -s: donkey  donkeys

Proper names ending in -y are made plural with an -s regardless of the letter preceding:  Ray   Rays      Kennedy   Kennedys


TROUBLESOME PLURALS:

Many people mistake these plural nouns ending in -a for their singular forms ending (usually) in -um:

Singular

Plural

criterion

criteria

datum

data

medium

media

phenomenon

phenomena

<>AP Style: Be sure you consult the stylebook when you make plurals from compound nouns, proper nouns ending in -s, figures and single letters.

POSSESSIVE NOUNS AND PRONOUNS

Generally, to make a singular noun possessive, you add apostrophe-s.

It was the boy's toy. It was Timmy's toy.

 To make a plural regular noun possessive, you  just an apostrophe.

She tripped over the boys' toys.

Irregular nouns (nouns that are made plural in ways other than adding an -s) usually get treated like singlar nouns:

It was the children's toys.

<>
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS: Students often have trouble with the possessive pronouns. Unlike possessive <>nouns, possessive pronouns do not use an apostrophe. This most often presents a problem with the words its and it's. It's is the contraction meaning it is. Its is the possessive pronoun.

<>REMEMBER THIS: You would not be likely to misspell the possessive pronoun: his. You would not spell it  hi's. Therefore, don't put an apostrophe in any of the other possessive pronouns: its yours theirs hers ours

EXCEPTION: The indefinite pronoun one is spelled one's in the possessive form.

POSSESSIVE NOUNS

<>Become familiar with the entry under Possessives in your AP Stylebook. Pay particular attention to singular common nouns ending in -s, special expressions, compound words and descriptive phrases.

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