A friend of Jane and Tom or A friend of Jane and Tom's?
We can say:
She's a friend of mine.
She's a friend of Tom's.
She's a friend of my parents'.
But today I saw this: She's a friend of Jane and Tom.
Is it correct? Or should it be: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
possessives double-possessive compound-possessives
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
add a comment |
We can say:
She's a friend of mine.
She's a friend of Tom's.
She's a friend of my parents'.
But today I saw this: She's a friend of Jane and Tom.
Is it correct? Or should it be: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
possessives double-possessive compound-possessives
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09
add a comment |
We can say:
She's a friend of mine.
She's a friend of Tom's.
She's a friend of my parents'.
But today I saw this: She's a friend of Jane and Tom.
Is it correct? Or should it be: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
possessives double-possessive compound-possessives
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
We can say:
She's a friend of mine.
She's a friend of Tom's.
She's a friend of my parents'.
But today I saw this: She's a friend of Jane and Tom.
Is it correct? Or should it be: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
possessives double-possessive compound-possessives
possessives double-possessive compound-possessives
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 1 hour ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
108k28290463
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
asked May 21 '12 at 14:26
HQQ
130513
130513
Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09
add a comment |
Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09
Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09
Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The grammatical form of the sentence you indicate is certainly
She is a friend of Jane and Tom's.
meaning that they both know her and are her friends. However, particularly when speaking, the final "s" happens to be overlooked.
With reference to Jay's answer, the option She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's indicates that they are both friends to this girl/woman, but they do not necessarily know each other.
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
add a comment |
"She's a friend of Jane and Tom" is correct. The "of" applies to "Jane and Tom" as a compound.
You could also say, "She's Jane's and Tom's friend."
People sometimes say, "She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's." But this is redundant: The "of" already indicates possession; you don't need to also use the "'s".
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The grammatical form of the sentence you indicate is certainly
She is a friend of Jane and Tom's.
meaning that they both know her and are her friends. However, particularly when speaking, the final "s" happens to be overlooked.
With reference to Jay's answer, the option She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's indicates that they are both friends to this girl/woman, but they do not necessarily know each other.
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
add a comment |
The grammatical form of the sentence you indicate is certainly
She is a friend of Jane and Tom's.
meaning that they both know her and are her friends. However, particularly when speaking, the final "s" happens to be overlooked.
With reference to Jay's answer, the option She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's indicates that they are both friends to this girl/woman, but they do not necessarily know each other.
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
add a comment |
The grammatical form of the sentence you indicate is certainly
She is a friend of Jane and Tom's.
meaning that they both know her and are her friends. However, particularly when speaking, the final "s" happens to be overlooked.
With reference to Jay's answer, the option She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's indicates that they are both friends to this girl/woman, but they do not necessarily know each other.
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
The grammatical form of the sentence you indicate is certainly
She is a friend of Jane and Tom's.
meaning that they both know her and are her friends. However, particularly when speaking, the final "s" happens to be overlooked.
With reference to Jay's answer, the option She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's indicates that they are both friends to this girl/woman, but they do not necessarily know each other.
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
edited Apr 10 '16 at 5:46
Community♦
1
1
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
answered May 21 '12 at 14:38
Paola
2,86021324
2,86021324
add a comment |
add a comment |
"She's a friend of Jane and Tom" is correct. The "of" applies to "Jane and Tom" as a compound.
You could also say, "She's Jane's and Tom's friend."
People sometimes say, "She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's." But this is redundant: The "of" already indicates possession; you don't need to also use the "'s".
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
add a comment |
"She's a friend of Jane and Tom" is correct. The "of" applies to "Jane and Tom" as a compound.
You could also say, "She's Jane's and Tom's friend."
People sometimes say, "She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's." But this is redundant: The "of" already indicates possession; you don't need to also use the "'s".
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
add a comment |
"She's a friend of Jane and Tom" is correct. The "of" applies to "Jane and Tom" as a compound.
You could also say, "She's Jane's and Tom's friend."
People sometimes say, "She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's." But this is redundant: The "of" already indicates possession; you don't need to also use the "'s".
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
"She's a friend of Jane and Tom" is correct. The "of" applies to "Jane and Tom" as a compound.
You could also say, "She's Jane's and Tom's friend."
People sometimes say, "She's a friend of Jane's and Tom's." But this is redundant: The "of" already indicates possession; you don't need to also use the "'s".
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
answered May 21 '12 at 14:36
Jay
31.3k34691
31.3k34691
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
add a comment |
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
1
1
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
But you do say "a friend of mine" instead of "a friend of me". That is what makes English fun.
– JeffSahol
May 21 '12 at 14:41
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
What about the last one: She's a friend of Jane and Tom's?
– user20934
May 21 '12 at 14:59
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@rudra Sorry, what I was trying to say was: No. That's not only redundant but also inconsistent. Say either, "She's a friend of Jane and Tom", or "She's Jane's and Tom's friend". Don't mix the "of" and the "'s".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:06
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
@JeffSahol Interesting point. Note that "mine" and "yours" are special cases. The normal possessive of "me" is "my". You can say, "She's my friend", but you wouldn't say, "She's a friend of my".
– Jay
May 21 '12 at 21:12
add a comment |
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Related and possible duplicate: Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”? ◊ "Jim's and Huck's raft" vs "Jim and Huck's raft" ◊ Preferred way to apostrophise in case of dual or multiple ownership by distinct entities ◊ and the many questions linked from those.
– RegDwigнt♦
May 21 '12 at 15:09