0
Hoony Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

Possessive

From 'Practical English Usage by Michael Swan'


A noun cannot normally have an article or other determiner with it as well as a possessive word. Definite articles are usually dropped when possessive are used.

ex) the car that is John's (=John's car) (Not the John's car or John's the car)


But a possessive word may of course have its own article

ex) the car that is the boss's (= the boss's car)


Q1. What does 'a possessive word' refer to?

Q2. 'the John's car' is incorrect, but why is 'the boss's car' correct?

According to the explanation, the(definite article) + boss's(possessive word) + car(noun) should be incorrect

  

Top answer

Hoony Q1. What does 'a possessive word' refer to? The word that represents the person that "owns" something in the sentence.

— Blue Jay

  • Hoony Q1.
  • What does 'a possessive word' refer to?
  • The word that represents the person that "owns" something in the sentence.
  • In the above examples, "John's" and "boss's".
  • Hoony Q2.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
HoonyQ1. What does 'a possessive word' refer to?

The word that represents the person that "owns" something in the sentence. In the above examples, "John's" and "boss's".

HoonyQ2. 'the John's car' is incorrect, but why is 'the boss's car' correct?

If the item that is "owned" has an article to start with, it loses it

0
0
HoonyA noun cannot normally have an article or other determiner with it as well as a possessive word.

No, the head noun (the noun after the possessive word) cannot normally also have another determiner, but a possessive word can have a determiner if it can have a determiner when it's not possessive.

Examples:

boss can have a determ

0

Related Questions