Hello! As an expert in the field of English language and usage, I'm here to help clarify the distinction between "boss's" and "boss". Let's delve into the nuances of English grammar and the rules that govern the use of possessive forms.

Boss's is the possessive form of the noun "boss". When you want to indicate that something belongs to or is associated with a boss, you use the possessive form. For instance, if you are referring to the office of a boss, you would say "the boss's office". Similarly, if you're talking about the decision made by a boss, it would be "the boss's decision".

On the other hand, boss can be used in a couple of different ways. Primarily, it's a singular noun that refers to a person in charge or a supervisor. For example, "My boss is out of town today." It can also be used in a plural sense when referring to multiple bosses, as in "The bosses are meeting in the conference room."

Now, let's address the reference to homophones. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings. In English, "boss's" and "boss" can be homophones because the 's' in "boss's" is silent, making it sound identical to "boss" when spoken aloud. This is a common characteristic of possessive forms in English, where the apostrophe 's' is used to indicate possession but is not pronounced.

Additionally, when you have a plural noun that also needs to be possessive, you add an apostrophe after the 's'. So, "bosses'" would indicate something that belongs to or is associated with multiple bosses. For example, "The bosses' meeting is scheduled for tomorrow." However, as mentioned earlier, because the apostrophe is silent, "bosses'" can sound the same as "boss's" when spoken, which can lead to confusion.

It's important to note that the written context usually makes it clear whether you're using the singular possessive "boss's" or the plural "bosses". The possessive "boss's" indicates ownership or association with one boss, while "bosses" can refer to multiple bosses or be used in a possessive plural form.

In summary, while "boss's" and "boss" might sound the same when spoken, they have different grammatical functions and are used in different contexts. The written form provides the necessary clarity, and understanding the rules of English grammar will help you use them correctly.

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That means that you get bosses for the plural and boss's for the possessive, and that those are homophones. ... But because apostrophes are silent -- they're punctuation that is never pronounced -- you hear nothing different when you say the possessive plural bosses'. It sounds just like boss's and bosses both also sound.read more >>