Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

Overly possessive
Perplexing possessives

DESCRIPTIVE OR POSSESSIVE?

Should you use the possessive form in situations like the following?

“I have a copy of Universal’s contract.”

Or: “I have a copy of the Universal contract.”

“Should we interrupt the attorneys’ meeting?”

Or: “Should we interrupt the attorneys meeting?”

Actually, you can’t go wrong here. Either is correct—but with due diligence. And I don’t mean to get caught in a legal loop with you here.

Let’s take on the lawyers first. The possessive form (with the apostrophe) means that the meeting belongs to the attorneys. They arranged it; they control it; it’s their song and dance to do with as they please (if lawyers ever sing and dance).

Without the apostrophe, this is a meeting of attorneys. For all we know, prison officials or Congress may have forced these attorneys to show up. The word attorneys is simply a descriptive term, as in school board meeting or pharmaceutical meeting.

Now, about the Universal contract: the possessive form (with the apostrophe) means that Universal owns the contract—Universal originated the contract terms and the offer. Without the apostrophe, Universal simply describes the contract. The writer is referring to the Universal contract, not the Wal-Mart contract or the Exxon contract. The contract may be one that the writer is preparing to force Universal to sign, sight unseen.

Apostrophes may be small marks, but they carry big meaning.

Memory tip

Is the noun descriptive or possessive? If somebody owns or controls something, use the possessive form. If the word merely describes something, don’t.