Henry74 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
My brother's and my car
Hi everyone,
If my brother and I have a car together, do you say My brother's and my car is red?
Thank you very much for your help!
[EDIT: I've realized my question might not be so clear. Is My brother's and my car the right way to make a possessive out of My brother and I have a car; one that can then be used as a subject, as in My brother's and my car is red? I hope this is clearer.]
H.
If my brother and I have a car together, do you say My brother's and my car is red?
Thank you very much for your help!
[EDIT: I've realized my question might not be so clear. Is My brother's and my car the right way to make a possessive out of My brother and I have a car; one that can then be used as a subject, as in My brother's and my car is red? I hope this is clearer.]
H.
Top answer
I'd say that yours is the "right" way to do it, but there is no good way. I would always recast to avoid the problem: Our car is red, my brother and I. People try all sorts of things when they have to say something like that in speech.
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I'd say that yours is the "right" way to do it, but there is no good way. I would always recast to avoid the problem: Our car is red, my brother and I. People try all sorts of things when they have to say something like that in speech. Most common might be, "My brother and I's car is red", letting the compound subject take the possessive as a unit, but that is too ugly to write. English doesn't ha
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Thank you for your answer enoon.
All the alternatives do seem a little awkward, as you say.
I'm intrigued by Our car is red, my brother and I. Can I avoid possessivness by extraposing my brother and I?
Yes, that is sort of rethorical, seeing as you just did that. What I mean by that is: I don't understand its grammaticality. Shouldn't it be Our car is red, my brother a
All the alternatives do seem a little awkward, as you say.
I'm intrigued by Our car is red, my brother and I. Can I avoid possessivness by extraposing my brother and I?
Yes, that is sort of rethorical, seeing as you just did that. What I mean by that is: I don't understand its grammaticality. Shouldn't it be Our car is red, my brother a
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Henry74Thank you for your answer enoon.All the alternatives do seem a little awkward, as you say.I'm intrigued by Our car is red, my brother and I. Can I avoid possessivness by extraposing my brother and I?Yes, that is sort of rethorical, seeing as you just did that. What I mean by that is: I don't understand its grammaticality. Shouldn't it be Our car is red, my brother
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Great question, Henry.
The rule is very clear:
Tom's and Mona's cars are red. (Tom has a car; Mona has a car.) (Two apostrophes)
Tom and Mona's car is red. (Joint possession / ownership) (One apostrophe)
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BUT there is an exception for personal pronouns. According to The Handbook of Good English by Edward D. Jo
The rule is very clear:
Tom's and Mona's cars are red. (Tom has a car; Mona has a car.) (Two apostrophes)
Tom and Mona's car is red. (Joint possession / ownership) (One apostrophe)
*****
BUT there is an exception for personal pronouns. According to The Handbook of Good English by Edward D. Jo
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