+89.+ There is just one more change made in the form of a noun, and that
is when we wish to show who or what owns or possesses a thing. Thus we
write:
John's book.
The boy's hat.
And since this form of the noun denotes possession, it is called the
_possessive form_. Some grammarians call this the possessive case.
The possessive form of nouns is made by adding an apostrophe and _s_,
('s); thus, _day's_, _lady's_, _girl's_, _clerk's_.
To plural nouns ending in _s_ add only an apostrophe; thus, _days'_,
_ladies'_, _girls'_, _clerks'_.
When plural nouns do not end in _s_, their possessive forms are made by
adding the apostrophe and _s_, the same as singular nouns, thus:
They make _men's_ and _women's_ shoes.
+90.+ In words which end with a sound that resembles that of _s_, the
apostrophe with _s_ forms an additional syllable. Thus:
James's (pronounced James-ez.)
Mr. Lynch's (pronounced Lynch-ez.)
The only exception to the rule occurs when the addition of another _s_
would make too many hissing sounds, then we add the apostrophe alone.
Thus:
For goodness' sake.
In Jesus' name.
+91.+ In forming the possessive of compound nouns, the possessive sign
is always placed at the end, thus:
My son-in-law's sister.
The man-of-war's cannon.
+92.+ When we wish to show that a thing belongs to two or more persons
who are joint owners of it, we add the possessive sign to the last word
only, thus:
Carson, Price and Scott's store.
Mason and Hamlin's pianos.
If it is a separate ownership that we wish to denote, we place the
possessive sign after each name, thus:
Bring me John's and Mary's books.
Lee's and Grant's armies met in battle.
Remember that the noun has just _three_ changes in form, one for the
plural number, one to denote gender and one for the possessive form.
Watch carefully your own language and that of your friends and note if
these changes are correctly made.