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HSS Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
In your Possession
0 Hi. 02 br
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00 I had to put up a poster asking not to leave personal items in the places shared by the staff in our office. I wrote, "Please keep your personal belongings in your possession, not the communal places. Thanks for your understanding." What halted me from tacking it up is the use of the phrase "in your possession." Could this be interpreted as keeping their belongings in their bags, in their drawers, on their desk etc., not just owning them? 02 br
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00 Many thanks in advance. 02 br
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00 Hiro 0-
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00 I had to put up a poster asking not to leave personal items in the places shared by the staff in our office. I wrote, "Please keep your personal belongings in your possession, not the communal places. Thanks for your understanding." What halted me from tacking it up is the use of the phrase "in your possession." Could this be interpreted as keeping their belongings in their bags, in their drawers, on their desk etc., not just owning them? 02 br
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00 Many thanks in advance. 02 br
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00 Hiro 0-
Top answer
0 Hi Hiro, 02 br 02 br 00 It could even be taken to mean 'keep them with you'. Perhaps you could just write 'Please do not leave your personal items here (or 'in the communal areas')'? 02 br 02 br 00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
- 0 Hi Hiro, 02 br 02 br 00 It could even be taken to mean 'keep them with you'.
- Perhaps you could just write 'Please do not leave your personal items here (or 'in the communal areas')'?
- 02 br 02 br 00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
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8 Answers
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0 Hi Hiro, 02 br
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00 It could even be taken to mean 'keep them with you'. Perhaps you could just write 'Please do not leave your personal items here (or 'in the communal areas')'? A simple approach is often good. 02 br
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00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
02 br
00 It could even be taken to mean 'keep them with you'. Perhaps you could just write 'Please do not leave your personal items here (or 'in the communal areas')'? A simple approach is often good. 02 br
02 br
00 Best wishes, Clive 0-
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1 font 00 Frederick T. Wood 02 font 00 , in his book, 01 i 00 "English Prepositional Idiom" ( 02 i 00 1976), says that there is a fine distinction between 01 font 00 "in possession of" 02 font 00 and 01 font 00 "in 01 i 01 b 00 the 02 b 02 i 00 possessio
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0 I observe the distinction. I imagine other native speakers do, too. 02 br
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00 CJ 0-
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00 CJ 0-
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0 01 font 00 (EX) I (am in possession of) him = I own him. 02 br
00 (EX) He is in (my possession) = He is mine. 02 br
02 font 02 br
00 Hmm…interesting. 02 br
00 Can we generalize "be in (no THE) verb-derived abstract noun = verb"? 02 br
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00 paco 0-
00 (EX) He is in (my possession) = He is mine. 02 br
02 font 02 br
00 Hmm…interesting. 02 br
00 Can we generalize "be in (no THE) verb-derived abstract noun = verb"? 02 br
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00 paco 0-
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0 Do you mean something like "to be in fear" = "to fear"? Or "to be in love" = "to love"? 02 br
00 If so, I doubt that the generalization can be very inclusive, as there are many cases where "to be in ***" is not an accepted combination. 02 br
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00 *"to be in hate" = "to hate" 02 br
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00 Most of the 01 i 00 -tion 02 i 00 n
00 If so, I doubt that the generalization can be very inclusive, as there are many cases where "to be in ***" is not an accepted combination. 02 br
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00 *"to be in hate" = "to hate" 02 br
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00 Most of the 01 i 00 -tion 02 i 00 n
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0 Hi CJ 02 br
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00 Thanks for the quick reply. I think "charge" and "control" behave in a way similar to "possession". Am I right? 02 br
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00 paco 0-
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00 Thanks for the quick reply. I think "charge" and "control" behave in a way similar to "possession". Am I right? 02 br
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00 paco 0-
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Paco,
Absolutely, when something or someone is in your possession that generally means you have control and can take charge of your possession. For example, if you were a female in a possessive relationship, your boyfriend sees you as his possession, thus he takes charge and controls you. So, you see charge and control are directly related to "possession."
Absolutely, when something or someone is in your possession that generally means you have control and can take charge of your possession. For example, if you were a female in a possessive relationship, your boyfriend sees you as his possession, thus he takes charge and controls you. So, you see charge and control are directly related to "possession."
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