They also prepare the university’s budget.
…the paper’s political editor, Mr Fred Emery.
There was a raid on the Democratic Party’s headquarters.
What is your government’s policy?
1.215 Apostrophe s (’s) is sometimes added to a noun referring to an object when specifying a part of it or a quality or feature that it has.
I like the car’s design.
You can predict a computer’s behaviour because it follows rules.
Apostrophe s (’s) is used after nouns and names referring to places to specify something in that place.
He is the administrative head of the country’s biggest city.
The city’s population is in decline.
…Britain’s most famous company.
1.216 If you want to emphasize that something belongs or relates to a particular person and nobody else, you use own. Own can be used after the possessive form of a name or noun, as well as after a possessive determiner.
Professor Wilson’s own answer may be unacceptable.
We must depend on David’s own assessment.
If you are specifying a number of things, you put the number after own.
…the Doctor’s own two rooms.
other structures
1.217 When you are talking about two things of the same type that belong to different people you can use the possessive form of a name or noun like a possessive pronoun so that you can avoid repeating the thing itself. In the first example below, her brother’s is used instead of her brother’s appearance.
Her appearance is very different to her brother’s.
My room is next to Karen’s.
It is your responsibility rather than your parents’.
The possessive form can also be used on its own to refer to someone’s home or place of work.
He’s round at David’s.
She stopped off at the butcher’s for a piece of steak.
She hasn’t been back to the doctor’s since.
Possessive pronouns are explained in paragraphs 1.107 to 1.110.
used in prepositional phrases with of
1.218 The possessive form can be used in a prepositional phrase beginning with of after a noun phrase. You use this structure when you are talking about one of a number of things that belong to someone or are associated with them, rather than about something unique.
Julia, a friend of Jenny’s, was there too.
That word was a favourite of your father’s.
1.219 Possessive forms can also be used to refer to things of a particular type that are usually associated with someone.
…a woman dressed in a man’s raincoat.
…a policeman’s uniform.
…women’s magazines.
…the men’s lavatory.
1.220 The possessive form can sometimes be used with nouns that refer to an action in order to show who or what is performing the action.
…the banking service’s rapid growth.
…Madeleine’s arrival at Fairwater House School.
Note that phrases beginning with of are used more commonly to do this, and that they are more formal than this use of possessive forms. The use of prepositional phrases beginning with of to show who or what is performing an action is explained in paragraph 2.282.
1.221 Sometimes you can add apostrophe s (’s) to a noun referring to the thing affected by the performer of an action and put it in front of the noun referring to that performer. For example, you can talk about the scheme’s supporters.
…Christ’s followers.
…the car’s owner.
Sometimes an apostrophe s (’s) structure can be used to refer to the thing affected by an action.
…Capello’s appointment as England manager.
Note again that of structures are more commonly used to do this.
other ways of showing possession
1.222 It is also possible to show possession by using either a prepositional phrase beginning with of, or a structure with a noun modifier in it.
Prepositional phrases beginning with of are explained in paragraphs 2.277 to 2.283. Noun modifiers are explained in paragraphs 2.169 to 2.174.
Indefinite determiners: all, some, many, etc.
1.223 Indefinite determiners are used in noun phrases when you are talking about people or things in a general way, without identifying them.
Here is a list of indefinite determiners:
a
all
an
another
any
both
each
either
enough
every
few
little
many
more
most
much
neither
no
other
several
some
A, and an are the most common indefinite determiners; they are sometimes called the indefinite article. For more information about a and an, see paragraphs 1.228 to 1.235.
For more information about the other indefinite determiners, see paragraphs 1.236 to 1.250.
with countable nouns
1.224 A and an are used with singular countable nouns, and show that you are talking about just one person or thing.
Another is used with singular countable nouns and other with plural countable nouns, but only after one or more of the same type of person or thing has been mentioned.
Any can be used with singular and plural countable nouns to talk about one or more people or things. You use enough, few, many, more, most, several, and some with plural countable nouns to show that you are talking about a number of people or things. Each of these determiners indicates a different set or group within the total number. For more information about their meanings, see the section beginning at paragraph 1.236.
All, both, each, either, and every show that you are talking about the total number of people or things involved. Both and either specify that only two people or things are involved. Both is used with a plural noun, and either with a singular noun. All, each, and every usually show that there are more than two. All is used with a plural noun, and each and every with a singular noun.