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1990es Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
The apostrophe conundrum...
Hi everyone
I seem to have a grammar blind spot about the use of (and where not to use) apostrophes to indicate possession. For example:
Someone tried to explain why business needs should not take an apostrophe as the word 'business is being used as an adjective - is that correct.
I went to a primary school that concentrated mor on dressing up than the basics hence my conundrum!
Best wishes
I seem to have a grammar blind spot about the use of (and where not to use) apostrophes to indicate possession. For example:
- business needs or business' needs ie the needs of the business.
- to develop the headquarters site or should it be headquarter's site ie the site of the headquarter?
Someone tried to explain why business needs should not take an apostrophe as the word 'business is being used as an adjective - is that correct.
I went to a primary school that concentrated mor on dressing up than the basics hence my conundrum!
Best wishes
Top answer
Welcome to the forums! My business needs = the needs that I have for running my business. My business' needs = the needs of my businness (here, the business could belong to someone else and you just work for them) They often overlap, but if you need to make the distinction, that's how to do it.
- Welcome to the forums!
- My business needs = the needs that I have for running my business.
- My business' needs = the needs of my businness (here, the business could belong to someone else and you just work for them) They often overlap, but if you need to make the distinction, that's how to do it.
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3 Answers
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Welcome to the forums!
My business needs = the needs that I have for running my business.
My business' needs = the needs of my businness (here, the business could belong to someone else and you just work for them)
They often overlap, but if you need to make the distinction, that's how to do it.
My business needs = the needs that I have for running my business.
My business' needs = the needs of my businness (here, the business could belong to someone else and you just work for them)
They often overlap, but if you need to make the distinction, that's how to do it.
00
But often, using a noun as an adjective is idiomatic.
For example, we say the church tower, castle walls, a pirate ship, star wars, monkey business, monkey shines, monkey wrench , etc.
English is flexible about using words as different parts of speech, so these idioms proliferate. It must be very confusing for someone who is learning the lan
For example, we say the church tower, castle walls, a pirate ship, star wars, monkey business, monkey shines, monkey wrench , etc.
English is flexible about using words as different parts of speech, so these idioms proliferate. It must be very confusing for someone who is learning the lan
00
Philip
Thanks for your reply. This is the sentence in context:
New, speculatively built accommodation is unlikely to meet business needs precisely
Looking at your two examples it looks like it should have an apostrophe ie:
unlikely to meet business' needs precisely
Problem with apostrophes is that they are used incorrectly all arou
Thanks for your reply. This is the sentence in context:
New, speculatively built accommodation is unlikely to meet business needs precisely
Looking at your two examples it looks like it should have an apostrophe ie:
unlikely to meet business' needs precisely
Problem with apostrophes is that they are used incorrectly all arou
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