Which is Correct? - compound possessives

ILSinTexas · May 25, 2008

Here is the sentence:

Malcolm's and Angel's flashlights bathed the enclosure in an eerie luminescence.

Word's spell check tells me it should read:

Malcolm and Angel's

I don't always trust Word. Since there are two flashlights, shouldn't it read as I've written it?

Can somebody help me?

Thanks in advance,

ILS

alleycat · May 25, 2008

I'll just copy in this:

Compound Possessives

When you are showing possession with compounded nouns, the apostrophe's placement depends on whether the nouns are acting separately or together.

* Miguel's and Cecilia's new cars are in the parking lot.
This means that each of them has at least one new car and that their ownership is a separate matter.
* Miguel and Cecilia's new cars are in the parking lot.
This construction tells us that Miguel and Cecilia share ownership of these cars. The possessive (indicated by 's) belongs to the entire phrase, not just to Cecilia.

And yes, since each of your characters have a flashlight, both would get the possessive.

ILSinTexas · May 25, 2008

alleycat -

Thanks SO much! I knew I was right, but when I asked my husband, he wasn't sure, either.

Rep points are coming

ILS

Kalyke · May 25, 2008

I totally hate grammar checker programs in computers and you even have to double check spell-checked words. Don't trust them. They are not infallible.

ILSinTexas · May 25, 2008

Hi, Use Her Name -

Yep! Don't I know that!

Anyway, alleycat set me straight. Thanks.

ILS

Which is Correct? - compound possessives

ILSinTexas

requiescat in pace

alleycat

Still around

ILSinTexas

requiescat in pace

Kalyke

ILSinTexas

requiescat in pace