By DeAnna Cameron //
Most of the time, it’s pretty easy to create a possessive of a singular word. You apply an apostrophe and an s to the end of the word, and it’s done.
The dragon’s lair
The fairy’s dust
That rule, according to The Chicago Manual of Style, also extends to words that end in s, x, or z.
Kansas’s flag
Waitress’s pen
Fox’s den
Quiz’s answers
When you’re creating a possessive of a plural word that ends in s, you place the apostrophe after the s.
The dragons’ lair
The fairies’ dust
The Jacksons’ car
The Williamses’ party
A notable exception to the rule, according to The Chicago Manual of Style, applies to “for … sake” expressions, which drop the ending s that would ordinarily apply.
For goodness’ sake
For righteousness’ sake
However, if you’re using other forms of the “for … sake” expression, the usual rules apply.
For Pete’s sake
For appearance’s sake
If you’ve been writing and/or editing for a while, you might have come across editors and publishers that commonly dropped the possessive s on words and names that ended in s (ex. Dickens’ novel) and words or names that end in an s with an “eez” sound (ex. Euripides’ tragedies) or a silent s (ex. marquis’ jewels). As of the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, however, those rule exceptions are no longer preferred and should be shelved, like the outdated rule of putting double spaces after a period.
Next time: More peculiarities to the possessive rules.
DEANNA CAMERON is the founder and managing director of O.C. Writers. She’s also an award-winning hybrid author currently writing YA dark fantasy as D.D. Croix and an occasional copy editor who’s never met an Oxford comma she didn’t like. Learn more at www.DDCroix.com.