Comments on: Is It Plural or Possessed? When to Use Apostrophe -S

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 03:37:52 +0000

It should be as follows:

From the library of the Walkers

Note that “From” is capitalized. It could also be:

From the Walkers’ library

By: Jami

Jami — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 06:45:08 +0000

I’m having a book embosser made for a married couple for Christmas. Let’s say their last name is Walker. Should the embosser read “from the library of the Walkers” or “from the library of the Walker’s”? It’s for two people, last name Walker (no s).
Thanks!

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 22:38:08 +0000

If Lois and Lois are characters in a story, I (strongly) suggest changing one of their names to avoid this confusion (and so the readers don’t get too mixed up).

In terms of grammar, you could do the following:

That is Lois and Lois’s house.
That is Lois’s and Lois’s house.
That house belongs to Lois and Lois.

These examples sound odd indeed, but we are constructing them just as we would if the people had two different names. I would actually recommend including the last names in those constructions, so they become the following:

That is Lois Austen and Lois Shephard’s house.
That is Lois Austen’s and Lois Shephard’s house.

As you can see, you would apply the conventional grammar rules, but in the end, readability and clarity might trump the rules. Ultimately, you should construct the sentence in the manner you feel is most appropriate (and understandable) for your readers. This might mean completely rewording it:

Both of the women who live in that house are named Lois. <— best one

Having said all that, if I were writing it, I would go with your original idea: That is the Loises' house. But this may only work if the two women are regularly referred to as "the Loises." That means it all depends on overall context.

Great question, and very tricky!

By: Lois

Lois — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:42:57 +0000

Since my name is Lois, if I have a friend also named Lois and we own a house together, is it the Loises’ house?

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:57:00 +0000

This is a style issue, not a grammar issue. However, I would leave the apostrophe out: CDs. I think it looks cleaner and it sticks to the rule that apostrophe-s is used for possession:

I just bought two new CDs. (plural)
That CD’s sticker is peeling off. (possessive)