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Davidrock65 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
PLURALS
1. How do you pronounce friends' friend? Do you pronounce them as /friends friend/ or /friendsis friend/. I heard people pronounce it as /friends friend/ . Shouldn't it be pronounced as /friendsis friend/ in the plural form? What about girls' school? /girls school/? If you pronounce it in the singular form, how am I supposed to know if it's a girl or girls? Please explain. TKS!!
2. Do you write my boss' books or my boss's book? And do you pronounce it as /bos/ or /bossis/ ? The same goes with names, such as Jones's / Jones' ( /jonz/ or /jonzis/ )Diary, Jess/ Jess's ( /jes/ or /jesis/ )book?
My newfew's name is Dollars ( you might find it weird. It's based on his Chinese name)
I am so confused about which way I should write and pronounce possessive nouns as mentioned above.
I teach children English , so it's important that I pronounce and write correctly.
Much obliged to you for your help.
2. Do you write my boss' books or my boss's book? And do you pronounce it as /bos/ or /bossis/ ? The same goes with names, such as Jones's / Jones' ( /jonz/ or /jonzis/ )Diary, Jess/ Jess's ( /jes/ or /jesis/ )book?
My newfew's name is Dollars ( you might find it weird. It's based on his Chinese name)
I am so confused about which way I should write and pronounce possessive nouns as mentioned above.
I teach children English , so it's important that I pronounce and write correctly.
Much obliged to you for your help.
Top answer
1-- /frendz frend/ and /gurlz sku:l/-- You are supposed to know whether it is singular or plural by the context: She goes to a girls' school. A girl's school is her best source of knowledge . The /iz/ pronunciation is only used for singular words that end in sibilants-- /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/.
- 1-- /frendz frend/ and /gurlz sku:l/-- You are supposed to know whether it is singular or plural by the context: She goes to a girls' school.
- A girl's school is her best source of knowledge .
- The /iz/ pronunciation is only used for singular words that end in sibilants-- /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/.
- 2-- Boss's, Jones's, Jess's are the current preferred forms, though boss' , etc, is still used by some.
- Most manuals now reserve s' for classical names like Jesus' cross, Socrates' hemlock .
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1 Answers
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1-- /frendz frend/ and /gurlz sku:l/-- You are supposed to know whether it is singular or plural by the context: She goes to a girls' school. A girl's school is her best source of knowledge. The /iz/ pronunciation is only used for singular words that end in sibilants-- /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/.
2-- Boss's, Jones's, Jess's are the current preferred forms, though boss'
2-- Boss's, Jones's, Jess's are the current preferred forms, though boss'
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