https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:37:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753942 Fri, 30 Jun 2017 12:30:11 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2753942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Jones' </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753265 Thu, 29 Jun 2017 01:00:53 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2753265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I learned it as Mary Jones'.</p> <p>(My pet peeve is when people misuse apostrophes and plurals.. like when people put on their cards "love, the brown's" ...but I guess there is no consensus on this one.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753054 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:56:04 +0000 BSB 2753054@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since there isn't even a consensus on this thread, I would just reword the sentence. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753052 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:49:40 +0000 MrsSCB 2753052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just consulted my handy AP Stylebook, which says only add an apostrophe to singular proper names ending in S. So "Mary Jones' last day." That's what we use at work, so that's what I would do :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753040 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:32:35 +0000 Adira 2753040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here you go! The differences between AP style and Chicago style with this situation.</p> <p><a href="http://apvschicago.com/2011/06/apostrophe-s-vs-apostrophe-forming.html" rel="nofollow">http://apvschicago.com/2011/06/apostrophe-s-vs-apostrophe-forming.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753039 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:26:42 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2753039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Jones' </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753037 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:22:06 +0000 PinkElephant 2753037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: This. 🙂</p> <p>But I'm pretty sure it's Jones'. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753034 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:13:33 +0000 lamariniere 2753034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm. My son's first name ends in S and I always do s'. No extra s. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753033 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:13:33 +0000 mrsjd 2753033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am 100% positive that the possessive form of a proper noun ending in -s is to add apostrophe s. So Mary Jones becomes Mary Jones's. I've had this discussion with colleagues a dozen times and I have looked it up in various style resources. It irks me to no end when people just add an apostrophe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753031 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 13:10:11 +0000 Chuckles 2753031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This partly has to do with how the possessive is pronounced. So if the wheels belong to a bus, you would say the bus's wheels - saying the s sound twice. Whereas for something like multiple socks that have stripes - you would say the socks' stripes - saying the s sound once. Does the makes sense?<br /> So in this case, you would say Mary Jones's last day... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753011 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 12:42:18 +0000 BSB 2753011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember learning that it should be Jones'. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2753002 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 12:35:02 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2753002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My married name ends in S and we do Mary Jones's. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752943 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 11:25:29 +0000 Boogs 2752943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I learned Jones' and that's what I use for one of LO's names that ends in s. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752897 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 10:05:38 +0000 808love 2752897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: Agreed. Correct or not, it is not my cup o' tea. So I wouldn't, couldn't, didn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752882 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:54:37 +0000 honeybear 2752882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: @808love: Interesting idea, but I'm pretty sure this isn't correct. </p> <p>The only thing that would make "Mary Jones'[s] last day ..." incorrect is not having an apostrophe at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752871 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:47:56 +0000 honeybear 2752871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay, so first things first: You need an apostrophe because this is a possessive. Put one there, right after the concluding "s" of your last name. </p> <p>Whether you also add another "s" after the apostrophe is a matter of style and up to you. Personally, I think it is cluttered. </p> <p>Both of these are correct (but #1 looks better, IMO): </p> <p>1) Jones'<br /> 2) Jones's </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752870 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:47:26 +0000 Corduroy 2752870@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: That's how I've understood it too. I went from a three syllable S maiden name to a two syllable S maiden name. DHh has a one syllable S name. I never feel confident though. Thankfully my kids names don't end in S. </p> <p>@peachykeen: I totally do this too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752869 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:46:46 +0000 808love 2752869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: haha! You just posted the same thing!<br /> Personally, I would still not add 's based on what I learned from the modern internet. I'm from the old school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752868 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:46:01 +0000 808love 2752868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is interesting. Never thought of this! </p> [attach=1524/17/os9icp.378x600.IMG_7556.PNG] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752867 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:44:15 +0000 birdofafeather 2752867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: you do add the apostrophe at the end to show possession. And I found this! And I know your last name isn't Jones but looks like Jones would be Mary Jones's because you pronounce an s at the end like Joneses. </p> <p>"Personal names that end in –s<br /> With personal names that end in -s: add an apostrophe plus s when you would naturally pronounce an extra s if you said the word out loud:</p> <p>He joined Charles’s army in 1642.</p> <p>Dickens's novels provide a wonderful insight into Victorian England.</p> <p>Thomas's brother was injured in the accident.</p> <p>Note that there are some exceptions to this rule, especially in names of places or organizations, for example:</p> <p>St Thomas’ Hospital</p> <p>If you aren’t sure about how to spell a name, look it up in an official place such as the organization’s website.</p> <p>With personal names that end in -s but are not spoken with an extra s: just add an apostrophe after the -s:</p> <p>The court dismissed Bridges' appeal.</p> <p>Connors' finest performance was in 1991."</p> <p><a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/punctuation/apostrophe" rel="nofollow">https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/punctuation/apostrophe</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752865 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:39:11 +0000 peachykeen 2752865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that technically just apostrophe or 's is correct, but I mainly wanted to commiserate! My married name ends in S and it makes things like Christmas cards so much harder :sad: I hate having to add 'family' ("The Jones Family" to make it less awkward than "The Joneses") to every joint card signature - I miss the simplicity of my maiden name! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752863 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:38:37 +0000 808love 2752863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Jones' That is what I learned. I don't do it the way I see it. That would be bad. I look at kids' writing nearly everyday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752862 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:38:10 +0000 Adira 2752862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Then just add the ' without the s. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752861 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:37:38 +0000 mediagirl 2752861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: what. Seriously? Our last name is 2 syllables. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752858 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:36:21 +0000 Adira 2752858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: What you do depends on how many syllables your last name is.</p> <p>If it's one syllable (like Jones or Hess), you add 's. Jones's or Hess's. If it's more syllables (like Williams or Thomas), you just add ', without the s. Williams' or Thomas'. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752849 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:28:46 +0000 looch 2752849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: chances are the person you are addressing doesn't know either! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752845 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:27:50 +0000 superkate 2752845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mary Jones' last day... Adding es signifies plural, like if you were to say, "The Jones' last day..." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752843 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:25:36 +0000 mediagirl 2752843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I know. I don't want to rewrite for the rest of her childhood, though! Haha. I could just give her my old last name and - problem solved. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752842 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:25:30 +0000 Mamaof2 2752842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: haha agree! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-someone-help-me-with-this-sentence#post-2752840 Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:25:07 +0000 nanilani 2752840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you're still unsure, you could always rephrase it: "Mary Jones will be attending this school until x/x/xx."</p> <p>Edit: Oops, beat to the punch by @looch! </p>