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Apostrophe question

14 replies

Cucumberscarecrow · 16/04/2014 20:10

Mr Bates's coat or Mr Bates' coat.

OP posts:

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NotAnotherPackedLunchBox · 16/04/2014 20:13

Mr Bates' coat

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Primrose123 · 16/04/2014 20:13

I think both are correct aren't they?

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CuntyBunny · 16/04/2014 20:13

Mr Bate's coat.

If there was one boy with several coats, it would be the boy's coats.

If there were two boys with several coats, it would be the boys' coats.

Think of boy's as something belonging to one boy.

Think of boys' as something(s) belonging to more than one boy.

Does that make sense?

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CuntyBunny · 16/04/2014 20:14

Only if there were several Mr Bates would something belonging to them mean it was Mr Bates'.

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CuntyBunny · 16/04/2014 20:15

Sorry, I totally missed the extra "s" there

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DadDadDad · 16/04/2014 22:46

Congratulations, everyone, on maturely getting through that without one smirky comment about his son, Master Bates.

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RuthlessBaggage · 16/04/2014 23:18

Bates is a name; Bate isn't.

It's easier to think of Jones, usually, or James.

You probably say Joneziz and Jameziz, so you should write both instances of "s":

Jones's
James's

But if there are multiple Joneses or Jameses...

The Joneses' holiday home is on Anglesey.
All the Jameses' exercise books have been muddled up.

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IHeartKingThistle · 16/04/2014 23:20

Ruthless that is correct but it's the more old-fashioned usage. James' and James' is an equally acceptable (and much more streamlined!) alternative.

So, OP, either would be fine.