Common mistake Incorrect possessive form after a number
Incorrect possessive form after a number
One common mistake in English grammar is the incorrect use of possessive forms after a number. When indicating possession after a number, it is important to use the correct form of the possessive - either adding an "s" or an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s).
Did you mean s or s'?
When using the possessive form after a number, it's important to understand whether the noun that follows is singular or plural. The general rule is to add an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s) to indicate possession for singular nouns, and only an apostrophe (') for plural nouns.
- Correct: The cat's bowl is empty. (Singular possessive)
- Correct: The cats' bowls are full. (Plural possessive)
However, when it comes to possessive forms after a number, things can get a bit trickier. In this case, it is common to see the incorrect use of the singular possessive form.
- Incorrect: I have 2 cat's at home.
- Correct: I have 2 cats at home.
In the incorrect example above, the 's after "cat" indicates possession, but since there are multiple cats, the correct form should be "cats" without the apostrophe. The apostrophe should only be used when indicating possession for singular nouns.
Linguix grammar checker can help you identify and correct this common mistake by highlighting incorrect possessive forms and offering suggestions for improvement.
Incorrect possessive form after a number mistake examples
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Incorrect:At the time, Guider was working just two day's drive from Narooma, in a Canberra suburb.Correct:At the time, Guider was working just two days|days' drive from Narooma, in a Canberra suburb.
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Incorrect:I was surprised to find five Suzuki's in my class.Correct:I was surprised to find five Suzukis|Suzukis' in my class.
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Correct:1933 World's Fair
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Correct:He is puzzled as to why three women's names were there.
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Correct:A total of 387 schools, 7 teacher's houses, and several vocational buildings had been built.
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Correct:I have 5 CD's.
