s's vs s' (Ross's or Ross')

Gramatically which is correct

If I wanted to say "The car of Ross" in a different way, which would be correct?

Ross's car

or

Ross' car

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Reply 1

NW8_SW1_EC3

Ross'

Reply 2

faber niger

The latter. End of thread. :smile:

(Though some people do use the former, and as such it is becoming an accepted alternative.)

Reply 3

LooieENG

I was always led to believe it was Ross's unless the surname sounded like it already ended in 's. For example, Ross's, not Ross' but it would be Jones' not Jones's

Grammar/English was never really my strong point though.#

Edit: Maybe I'm thinking of if it was a family? For example, the Jones' car, as opposed to the Jones's car?

Reply 4

ThePants999

jismith1989

The latter. End of thread. :smile:

(Though some people do use the former, and as such it is becoming an accepted alternative.)

This, in its entirety.

Reply 5

qgujxj39

We were debating this in Chemistry with Hess' Law.

(Wikipedia doesn't agree with me.)

Reply 6

LooieENG

• add 's to the singular form of the word (even if it ends in -s):

the owner's car

James's hat

• add 's to the plural forms that do not end in -s:

the children's game

the geese's honking

• add ' to the end of plural nouns that end in -s:

houses' roofs

three friends' letters

• add 's to the end of compound words:

my brother-in-law's money

• add 's to the last noun to show joint possession of an object:

Todd and Anne's apartment

(just stole off the internet)

Reply 7

Zhen Lin

Nor do a number of other sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxon_genitive

Some respected style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style recommend the more modern addition of an s but specifically state that both habits are correct. Other references such as The Elements of Style and the Canadian Press Stylebook hold that the s is mandatory with only two exceptions: classical and Biblical proper names (e.g. "Jesus' teachings", "Augustus' guards") and common phrases that do not take the s (e.g. "for goodness' sake"). In all other cases, it is incorrect to omit the s.

Reply 8

zef99

Both are correct, however, the more correct of the two is Ross's car. If you speak it aloud as well, then there is a clear difference and one sounds more right than the other.

Reply 9

balloon_parade

We teach both in schools (maybe because it is quite a difficult concept to grasp at first?) but encourage the children to use Ross'

Reply 10

20083

jismith1989

The latter. End of thread. :smile:

(Though some people do use the former, and as such it is becoming an accepted alternative.)

Wrong. It is the former. Some people use the latter as it looks tidier and they get confused with the difference between showing ownership of a plural word compared to other words that end in s. The correct way is Ross's.

Reply 11

FunLady

I was told that if a noun ended in the letter 's' then it would it Ross' rather than Ross's because it would be difficult to pronounce...

Reply 12

20083

FunLady

I was told that if a noun ended in the letter 's' then it would it Ross' rather than Ross's because it would be difficult to pronounce...

So you would say "Is that Ross bike?" Say it out loud.

Reply 13

FunLady

SillyFencer

So you would say "Is that Ross bike?" Say it out loud.

I'd write it Ross' but say Ross's.

Reply 14

20083

FunLady

I'd write it Ross' but say Ross's.

Why change it then?

Reply 15

zar91

Our A-Level English teacher said that it's supposed to be Ross' but Ross's is generally becoming more acceptable. I don't know the ins and outs of everything though.