English experts settle this dispute...

[slavendermenace]

How would you punctuate this sentance? If both brother and sister are plural, how do you create the possession of the baptism?

I went to all 4 of my older brothers and sisters baptisms

Comments

[randomcelestial]

I went to all four of my older brothers' and sisters' baptisms.

[kat0ninetales]

don't you just put an apostrophy on the last of the list? I'm pretty sure that's the case, but I'll check a grammar book.

[randomcelestial]

I'm pretty sure that's only when the possession is of a singular object. Like

"Me and my roommate's TV."

If it's multiple possessors and objects, I think it's two apostrophes.

[randomcelestial]

Yeah, just verified that.

"Note that individual ownership is marked by a double possessive:

Courtney's and Mem's grade point averages"

[kat0ninetales]

really?? Wow. Mine says different.

[randomcelestial]

whoa. that's weird. what book are you using? I'm using the guidelines from Meredith.

[kat0ninetales]

I don't think so. At least that's not what the grammar book I'm looking in right now says. But maybe there's some grammarian out there somewhere that has changed it since this book's publishing.

the exact citation

[randomcelestial]

Compound nouns (Bedford 36/Hodges' 15a3)
When a sentence indicates joint ownership in a compound construction, the possessive form is attached only to the second noun:

Deanna and Brandi's vacation plans
Tim and Bethany's wedding invitation

Note that individual ownership is marked by a double possessive:

Courtney's and Mem's grade point averages

Tim and Bethany share the same wedding invitation, whereas Courtney and Mem each have their own grade point averages.