Is it correct? (article + apostrophe)

Question

Can an article be used before a possessive word (in this case, in a form of XX's)? I used to think that there should not be "a/an" placed before "XX's" form.

#1. I visited a women's college.
#2. I visited women's college.

Q1) Is #1 also correct? If so, what's the difference in meaning between #1 and #2?

#3. I visited the women's college.

Q2) Here, "the is used instead of "a." In this case, does this "the" refer to "women's college" or "women"? Or could be both?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

GoriCan an article be used before a possessive word

Yes. It's not at all unusual.

Gori#1. I visited a women's college.#2. I visited women's college.#3. I visited the women's college.

1 is correct. 2 is not correct. 3 is correct.

Goridoes this "the" refer to "women's college" or "women"? Or could be both?

Sometimes it seems that the underlying form should contain two articles -- one for the possessive word and another for the following noun. But we never use both -- one is always omitted.

I visited the college of the women > I visited the [the women's] college > I visited the women's college.
___________

In this particular case, however, it's really more like this for most contexts, because it's a college for women (indefinite) not for the women (definite):

I visited the college of women > I visited the women's college.

CJ

Gori · Answer

Thank you for your explanation.

Is it correct? (article + apostrophe)

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