Use -'s to say that something belongs to a person: Kate's camera, my brother's car. After a plural ending in -s, write only an apostrophe. For things and places, use of.
A -'s for people
A woman called Kate holds up her camera: it is Kate's camera (her camera). A man stands proudly next to a red car: it is my brother's car (his car). A door has a sign on it that says MANAGER: it is the manager's office (his or her office).
We normally use -'s for people. We do not normally say the car of my brother.
You can also use -'s with no noun after it, when the noun is clear. I was at Ravi's usually means at Ravi's house.
- We had tea at my aunt's house.
- Have you met Mrs Patel's husband?
- Are you going to Charles's party?
- Jo can be a man's name or a woman's name.
- Sian's garden is bigger than Martin's. (= Martin's garden)
- "Whose coat is this?" "It's my dad's." (= my dad's coat)
- "Where did you stay last night?" "At Ravi's." (= Ravi's house)
B friend's and friends'
| my friend's flat | one friend (his flat or her flat) |
| my friends' flat | two or more friends (their flat) |
After a singular noun such as friend, student, mother, write -'s: my mother's bike (one mother), my father's bike (one father).
After a plural noun ending in -s, such as friends, students, parents, write only -': my parents' bike (two parents).
- My sister's room is tidy. (one sister)
- My sisters' room is a disgrace. (two or more sisters)
- The teacher read the students' work.
C of for things and places
For things, places and ideas, we normally use of, not -'s.
- Look at the top of that tower. (not that tower's top)
- We missed the end of the match. (not the match's end)
- What's the name of this street?
- Nobody knows the reason for the delay or the cause of the fire.
- The dog sleeps in the back of the van.
- Cardiff is the capital of Wales.
Exercises
64.1 Here is a family. Pat and Colin are married. They have a son, Ryan, and a daughter, Leanne. Leanne is married to Darren. Leanne and Darren have a son, Kyle. Write sentences about the people in the family.
(Colin / husband)
Colin is Pat's husband.
Colin is Pat's husband.
(Leanne / mother)
Leanne is Kyle's mother.
Leanne is Kyle's mother.
(Pat / wife) Pat is ... wife.
Pat is Colin's wife.
(Ryan / brother) Ryan ...
Ryan is Leanne's brother.
(Ryan / uncle) ... uncle.
Ryan is Kyle's uncle.
(Leanne / wife) Leanne ...
Leanne is Darren's wife.
(Pat / grandmother)
Pat is Kyle's grandmother.
(Leanne / sister)
Leanne is Ryan's sister.
(Darren / husband)
Darren is Leanne's husband.
(Darren / father)
Darren is Kyle's father.
(Kyle / nephew)
Kyle is Ryan's nephew.
64.2 Five people are waiting at a bus station in Leeds. Meera has a woolly hat and a rucksack. Tom has an umbrella. Ruth has a pair of walking boots. Joy has a long striped scarf. Callum has a set of car keys. Answer the questions. Use one word only.
A woolly hat.
Whose is this? Meera's
Whose is this? Meera's.
An umbrella.
Whose is this?
Whose is this? Tom's.
A rucksack.
And this?
And this? Meera's.
A pair of walking boots.
And these?
And these? Ruth's.
A long striped scarf.
And this?
And this? Joy's.
A set of car keys.
And these?
And these? Callum's.
64.3 Look at the words in square brackets. Are they correct? If they are, write OK. If they are not, write the sentence correctly.
I had lunch at [the flat of my brother].
I had lunch at my brother's flat.
I had lunch at my brother's flat.
What's [the name of this street]?
OK
What's the name of this street?
I love [the colour of your car].
I love the colour of your car.
Have you got [the email address of Sophie]?
Have you got Sophie's email address?
[The car of my neighbour] is always dirty.
My neighbour's car is always dirty.
Sign your name at [the bottom of the form].
Sign your name at the bottom of the form.
[The end of the film] was very sad.
The end of the film was very sad.
[The favourite food of Owen] is curry.
Owen's favourite food is curry.
When is [the wedding of your sister]?
When is your sister's wedding?
[The garden of my grandparents] is enormous.
My grandparents' garden is enormous.
[The windows of this flat] are very old.
The windows of this flat are very old.
We parked at [the top of the hill].
We parked at the top of the hill.
Did you go to [the barbecue of Marcus] on Sunday?
Did you go to Marcus's barbecue on Sunday?
[The owner of the shop] is very friendly.
The owner of the shop is very friendly.