Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

Yours, mine, and ours
Perplexing possessives

JOINT OWNERSHIP—WHO GETS THE APOSTROPHE?

Is it Percival and Winnifred’s home or Percival’s and Winnifred’s home? Is it Depak and Daffy’s tenure on the board of directors or Depak’s and Daffy’s tenure? When you have multiple owners, who gets the apostrophe? Well, that depends.

If the two people own something jointly, show ownership only on the last name. But if they own something separately, show ownership on both names:

Percival and Winnifred’s home (they share the same home)

Percival’s and Winnifred’s homes (they each have a home)

Depak and Daffy’s tenure (they served together on the board)

Depak’s and Daffy’s tenure (they did not necessarily serve at the same time)

Remember, too, that you can also show ownership by flipping the phrase and using the word of: “This is the home of Percival and Winnifred.”

When the two owners are pronouns, place the noun between them: Not “Your or my house?” But “My house or yours?” Even if only one owner is a pronoun, it sounds better to place the noun between them: “I reviewed Horatio’s e-mails and yours before the meeting.”

As a side note, I can never be possessive. (I’m not speaking personally, of course.) Here’s a common error in casual conversation:

Incorrect:

Horatio and I’s suggestion would save the company almost $2 million.

Correct:

Horatio’s suggestion and mine would save the company almost $2 million.

Memory tip

If two people share ownership, they also have to share the apostrophe.