I just read something about this in Stephen King's On Writing. I think the s' is grammatically correct, but the s's is so the sentence reads the way it's supposed to sound.
I think.
I'm horrible with grammar though, so I'd get a second opinion.
I actually looked this up a little while ago, and apparently both are acceptable, though s's is thought of as being more grammatically correct. I don't recall seeing s's until I lived in the UK, so take that as you will.
Also, when looking it up, it was mentioned more than once that ancient names didn't need the extra 's', nor did names with more than one syllable. *sigh* All these rules!!
Okay, now wait. I just found this on a message board: According to The Chicago Manual of Style and Strunk and White's Elements of Style, you make a possessive out of common nouns ending in "s" by adding an apostrophe, regardless of whether they're singluar or plural. You should write: ships' sails, workers' rights
( ... )
Ha! Bridget Jones's is always how I remember this (version of the) rule. It was something I always struggled with because it looks so strange, but now I give all proper names eneding in S the s's.
There is a hard and fast rule, if you go for those. Even some English teachers/copy editors don't. And it varies from place to place and context to context, as you say.
Technically, only plurals get just an apostrophe after the S. A last name that happens to end in S is not a plural.
Everything that's not a plural gets 's, even if it looks silly.
plural -- the Others' singular word that ends in S -- kiss's last name that ends in S -- Reyes's
But but but, Grammar guides will tell you it's okay to break the rule for oft-used famous names like Jesus' or Socrates', and some will even tell you it's always okay to just do an apostrophe anytime it would seem unweildy to add another s, like Reyes's ^. It's one of those grammar rules that's relaxing. Nobody's going to call you on it if you think s's looks/sounds bad.
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I think.
I'm horrible with grammar though, so I'd get a second opinion.
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Also, when looking it up, it was mentioned more than once that ancient names didn't need the extra 's', nor did names with more than one syllable. *sigh* All these rules!!
Okay, now wait. I just found this on a message board:
According to The Chicago Manual of Style and Strunk and White's Elements of Style, you make a possessive out of common nouns ending in "s" by adding an apostrophe, regardless of whether they're singluar or plural. You should write: ships' sails, workers' rights ( ... )
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Technically, only plurals get just an apostrophe after the S. A last name that happens to end in S is not a plural.
Everything that's not a plural gets 's, even if it looks silly.
plural -- the Others'
singular word that ends in S -- kiss's
last name that ends in S -- Reyes's
But but but, Grammar guides will tell you it's okay to break the rule for oft-used famous names like Jesus' or Socrates', and some will even tell you it's always okay to just do an apostrophe anytime it would seem unweildy to add another s, like Reyes's ^. It's one of those grammar rules that's relaxing. Nobody's going to call you on it if you think s's looks/sounds bad.
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