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Debpriya De Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Whoever's

"You must fix this clock, whoever's it is."
Is the sentence correct ?
The two clauses "You must fix this" and "whoever's it is" don't seem to be coherently connected.
  

Top answer

whoever's is often seen, but from what I've read on the topic, it's probably more correct to write whosever . I would even add the noun, thus: You must fix this clock, whosever clock it is. CJ

— CalifJim

  • whoever's is often seen, but from what I've read on the topic, it's probably more correct to write whosever .
  • I would even add the noun, thus: You must fix this clock, whosever clock it is.
  • CJ
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7 Answers
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whoever's is often seen, but from what I've read on the topic, it's probably more correct to write whosever. I would even add the noun, thus:

You must fix this clock, whosever clock it is.

CJ
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CalifJimwhoever's is often seen, but from what I've read on the topic, it's probably more correct to write whosever. I would even add the noun, thus:You must fix this clock, whosever clock it is.CJ

I was prepared to answer much the way you did, CJ, but I just couldn't make either feel right. I would prefer "whoever it belongs to."
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PhilipI would prefer "whoever it belongs to."
Same here. I wouldn't even bother trying to make sense of the other two. (But then that doesn't answer the OP's question.
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"You must fix this clock, whosever clock it is."

What is the role of the clause "whosever clock it is" ? It's not in apposition to "this clock". It's not a relative clause either. Is it just the short for "no matter whose it is" ?
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Debpriya DeIs it just the short for "no matter whose it is" ?
Yes, it's short for that, but I don't know the technical term for its function within the sentence. It seems like a separate clause. The "fix this clock" part is one clause, and the "doesn't matter whose" is another. It has the characteristics of a relative clause though:

the person w
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Isn't it similar to the sentences with "whatever" as in "Whatever you do, don't wake her up." ?
"Whatever you do" and "don't wake her up" seem to be separate clauses with no connection.
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Debpriya DeIsn't it similar to the sentences with "whatever" as in "Whatever you do, don't wake her up." ?"Whatever you do" and "don't wake her up" seem to be separate clauses with no connection.
Yes. All those words with -ever have the same kinds of properties.

CJ
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