Hello there! I'm an expert in English grammar and language usage. I'm here to help you with your question about the plural possessive form of the name "James."

When forming the possessive case in English, we typically add an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s) to the end of a singular noun. However, when it comes to plural nouns that already end in "s," the rules can be a bit different. For plural nouns that are possessive, you usually just add an apostrophe at the end without the additional "s."

Let's break it down step by step:


1. Singular Possessive: If you're referring to something that belongs to one person named James, you would add an apostrophe and an "s" to the end of his name. So, it would be "James's." For example: "James's book" means the book belongs to James.


2. Plural Possessive: Now, if you're talking about a group of people with the last name James, and you want to show possession, you would first make the name plural by adding an "s" and then add an apostrophe after that. So, it would be "The Jameses' car." This indicates that the car belongs to the James family or multiple people with the last name James.


3. Exception to the Rule: There's an exception to the general rule when the plural form of the noun does not end in an "s" sound. In such cases, you would still add an apostrophe and an "s" even if the noun is plural. For example, "The children's toys" because "children" is plural but does not end in an "s" sound.


4. Proper Nouns Ending in 's': For proper nouns that are plural and possessive, the rule is to add an apostrophe after the "s." This is similar to the singular possessive form but applies to plural proper nouns. For instance, "The Eggleses' presentation" would mean the presentation belongs to the Eggles family.


5. Alternative Spelling: There's also an alternative way to form the possessive for singular nouns ending in "s." You can use just an apostrophe after the "s" without the additional "s." So, "James' hat" is also considered correct, although "James's hat" is more commonly accepted.


6. Context Matters: The context in which you're using the possessive form is also important. If you're writing formally, it's best to stick to the more traditional forms like "James's." However, in informal writing or speech, you might see variations like "James'."

7.
Common Mistakes: A common mistake is to double the "s" when making a possessive, like writing "James''" instead of "James's." Remember, you only add one "s" before the apostrophe for singular possessives.

8.
Practice Makes Perfect: To get comfortable with possessive forms, practice by writing sentences using different possessive structures. This will help you internalize the rules and use them correctly.

In conclusion, the plural possessive form of "James" would be "The Jameses'" if you're referring to a family or group with that last name. If you're referring to something that belongs to James alone, it would be "James's." Remember to consider the context and the sound at the end of the word when deciding how to form the possessive.

Now, let's move on to the next step.

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Once you've determined whether you need to make a possessive, follow these rules to create one. James's hat (James' hat is also acceptable. For plural, proper nouns that are possessive, use an apostrophe after the 's': "The Eggleses' presentation was good."Feb 22, 2013read more >>