Using the possessive in English
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Possessive structures in English - use of of and 's
"Should I use "of" or an "s" structure?"Sadly there's no absolute rule to tell you whether you need to use, or can use, a "possessive" form with "of", on one with "'s".
Besides, there are a lot of cases where, even with people, you cannot use 's. So here are the main forms of "possession", and some examples to remember:
The first thing to determine is: is the "possessor" animate or inanimate?
1) Animates: HUMAN POSSESSORS, OR ASSIMILATED:
1.1. In cases of true possession: 's is normal. In many cases it will be essentialA1)
The lady's car
wouldn't start.
A2) The dog's ball was red..
With
qualities,
attributes or actions: 's is common.
A2) The dog's ball was red..
A3)
Madonna's reputation is
international.
A4) The dog's name was Jackson.
A5) The Queen's arrival was delayed.
These can also be easily expressed using of.
A4) The dog's name was Jackson.
A5) The Queen's arrival was delayed.
A31)
The reputation of Madonna is international.
A41) The name of the dog was Jackson.
There is a difference
in emphasis between the two alternatives: examples A41) The name of the dog was Jackson.
- A3-A5 emphasize the possessor,
- A31 and A41 emphasize the quality or attribute.
Situations in which there is no choice:
Sometimes however, even though both forms are theoretically possible, the structure of a sentence will determine the choice of expression, as a word may have to stand next to other words qualifying it: for example
A32) The
reputation of Madonna, the American singer, is international
We can NOT
say:
A32X)
**
Madonna's reputation, the American singer, is international. **
Examples A1 and A2 will be rephrased using "of" if this is
structurally essential:
A
11) The car of the lady I had lunch with wouldn't start
Clearly, the other theoretical option gives the wrong meaning!
A 11x) **The lady's car I had lunch with wouldn't start. **
1.2. Possessive adjectives:
There is no choice when possession is indicated by a possessive adjective, such as his, my, your, etc.A61 Your
loss is my gain
A62 I took my brother to see our grandfather.
A62x I took the brother of me to see the grandfather of us.
A62 I took my brother to see our grandfather.
A62x I took the brother of me to see the grandfather of us.
1.3. Relating a part to a whole (animates)
Use of "of" is obligatory when expressing the relation of a proportion to a composite wholeA71
the rest of the
people,
A72 the majority of voters
A73 a quarter of the committee
A72 the majority of voters
A73 a quarter of the committee
We can NOT say:
A71x:
the
people's rest,
A72x: the voters' majority
A73x: the committee's quarter
A72x: the voters' majority
A73x: the committee's quarter
Of and 's are both possible (depending on sentence structure) when expressing the relation of a part to a unitary (single) whole.
A8
The man's arm
was broken, or
A81 The arm of the man was broken
A81 The arm of the man was broken
1.3. 's with nouns already ending in s .
There is no hard rule here. Some writers use ...s's, others prefer ...s' with no second s. Both forms are used, and different "authorities" give different "rules".If there is any guideline, it is perhaps to prefer s's with monosyllables, and prefer s' with longer words. The s's form is arguably preferable with monosyllables, such as names commonly used in spoken English. To write James' father when one would normally say 'James's father' (pronounced Jameziz father) may seem odd.... Yet nothing is fixed. In London there is a famous park called St. James's Park. In Newcastle there is a famous football stadium called St. James' Park.
To continue with football, it would however be unusual to write, of the former England team manager, Terry Venables's career..... Most people would write (and also say) "Terry Venables' career...." : but neither form is unacceptable.
2. Inanimate possessors
For qualities, attributes, actions, or parts: Of is the usual structure, but 's may be possible;The unusual "'s" form can be used with some familiar nouns for stress, or for reasons of sentence structure.
B1
The cost
of the operation
was enormous.
B2 The condition of the goods we received was not very satisfactory
B3 The launch of the new book was very successful.
B31 The new book's launch was very successful.
B4 Where's the lid of the saucepan?
B5 The front end of the car was smashed up.
B6 The departure of the train was delayed for an hour.
B61 The train's departure was delayed for an hour.
B2 The condition of the goods we received was not very satisfactory
B3 The launch of the new book was very successful.
B31 The new book's launch was very successful.
B4 Where's the lid of the saucepan?
B5 The front end of the car was smashed up.
B6 The departure of the train was delayed for an hour.
B61 The train's departure was delayed for an hour.
In examples B3 and B6, the sentence could be rephrased using subject and verb instead of the possessive structures.
B32
The new book was
launched very successfully (subj. + passive verb)
B62 the train departed an hour later than planned (subj. + active verb)
B62 the train departed an hour later than planned (subj. + active verb)
2.1. Relating a part to a whole (inanimates) or a group to its constituents
The "of" form is normally obligatory when expressing the relation of a part to a whole (or a whole to its parts) when the part has no meaning unless it refers to a whole.B7
the
top of the stairs
.
(i.e. the word top is meaningless without reference to stairs)
B8 the back of the building
B9 The middle of the report
(i.e. the word top is meaningless without reference to stairs)
B8 the back of the building
B9 The middle of the report
The same is usually true when expressing the relation of a unit to a group (or a group to its units) when the group is defined by the units of which it is composed.
B10
A collection of paintings
B11 A group of trees
B11 A group of trees
We can NOT say:
B71x:
the stairs' top .
B81x: the building's back.
B101x A paintings' collection
However
there sometimes
is
a choice
when the part is expressed as adjective+noun,
or when the part
is more important in the phrase than the whole (B 13,
B131),
B81x: the building's back.
B101x A paintings' collection
B12
The top floor of
the building
B121 The building's top floor
B 13 The roof of the building was on fire
B 131 The building's roof was on fire
B121 The building's top floor
B 13 The roof of the building was on fire
B 131 The building's roof was on fire
3. Complemental noun groups
"of" is essential, except in a few specific cases.C1)
The
theory
of relativity. NOT
:
the relativity's
theory
C2) The Department of Linguistics. NOT : the Linguistics's department
Complemental
noun
groups
can often be rephrased as compounds,
without 's:
C2) The Department of Linguistics. NOT : the Linguistics's department
C11)
the
relativity theory
C21) the Linguistics Department
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C21) the Linguistics Department