Possessive 's vs. Of
What Is It?
Possessive 's vs. Of refers to two ways to show possession, relationship, or part-whole connection.
B1-B2 reference topic in Nouns, Pronouns, and Quantifiers.
Why Use It?
- Choose natural possessive forms.
- Separate people/organizations from objects and abstract structures.
- Avoid heavy noun phrases.
Formation and Patterns
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Possessive 's | person/animal/group + 's + noun | Ana's notebook |
| Of phrase | noun + of + noun | the title of the article |
| Plural possessive | plural + ' + noun | the students' questions |
Common Mistakes
- Using of for every possession relation.
- Writing it's for possessive its.
- Putting two possessive markers on the same noun phrase.
Exceptions & Nuances
- Organizations often take 's naturally: the school's website.