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Siernan Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Possessive s
why can I say
My mother's house
The dog's bone
the shelf's bracket
but I cannot say
My head's top
My finger's tip
the queue's front
Edinburgh's North
I am obliger to use 'of'
Is there a rule please?
My mother's house
The dog's bone
the shelf's bracket
but I cannot say
My head's top
My finger's tip
the queue's front
Edinburgh's North
I am obliger to use 'of'
Is there a rule please?
Top answer
What you're asking is probably the most difficult point of English grammar. I don't think there's a rule saying when to use a possessive (my mother's house), an objective (a table leg) or a structure with of" (the north of Edinburgh). In my opinion, non-native speakers are quite good at this once their level of English has become advanced.
- What you're asking is probably the most difficult point of English grammar.
- I don't think there's a rule saying when to use a possessive (my mother's house), an objective (a table leg) or a structure with of" (the north of Edinburgh).
- In my opinion, non-native speakers are quite good at this once their level of English has become advanced.
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7 Answers
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What you're asking is probably the most difficult point of English grammar. I don't think there's a rule saying when to use a possessive (my mother's house), an objective (a table leg) or a structure with of" (the north of Edinburgh).
In my opinion, non-native speakers are quite good at this once their level of English has become advanced.
In my opinion, non-native speakers are quite good at this once their level of English has become advanced.
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do you think if i save the 's for peopel and animals i will to always be correct?
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Siernando you think if i save the 's for people and animals i will always be correct?
No, not always, but probably most of the time.
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Sorry to ask again but is it the same with tip?
the tip of my tongue
buy
my finger tips
Or can you say the tips of my fingers as well and what is the difference?
thnaks
the tip of my tongue
buy
my finger tips
Or can you say the tips of my fingers as well and what is the difference?
thnaks
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Siernanthe tip of my tongueThese are both correct as you have written them. "my tongue tip" doesn't sound natural, but "the tips of my fingers" is fine.
but
my finger tips
The arbitrariness of the forms is meant to frustrate [students of English / English students].
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Thank you CalifJim
I new there was a conspiricy to make this language hard for us poor students.
I new there was a conspiricy to make this language hard for us poor students.
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