Apostrophe for Inanimate Possession
The Apostrophe
Rulebase Summary
Use an apostrophe and s to show singular possession of inanimate elements or things. Use s and an apostrophe for plural possession of inanimate elements or things. Some phrases that appear to be possessives are not — when the word after the plural is an adjective rather than a noun, there is no possessive.
Examples
A. I need a weeks vacation after this trial.
A. I need a week's vacation after this trial.
Singular inanimate possession — the vacation belongs to one week, so add apostrophe and s.
A. He got his money's worth from those two week's of testimony.
A. He got his money's worth from those two weeks' worth of testimony.
Plural inanimate possession — the worth belongs to multiple weeks, so the apostrophe follows the s.
Transcript Notes
Use an apostrophe and s for singular possession of inanimate elements or things (a year's interest, the car's front wheel, two cents' worth, a stone's throw). Use s and an apostrophe for plural possession of inanimate elements (two weeks' notice, six months' delay). Note: some phrases that look like possessives are actually adjectives, not possessives — when the word after the plural is an adjective, no apostrophe is needed (she was three months pregnant, the package arrived three days later).
Style Guide References (2)
Morson's
BGGP