Boys or Boys'

[Happy Snowman]

If you are talking about the boys basketball team, is boys or boys' correct? I'm pretty sure it's just boys but I've been reading news articles with tournaments starting and the newspapers keep listing it as boys' so I thought I might be wrong. They have girls' soccer too. To me that is boys-es or girls-es vs boys or girls if that makes sense.

 

[soccerdad72]

I would think boys without the apostrophe

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Boys'
(Plural possessive--what you describe applies to singular ending in s, I think.)

 

[Happy Snowman]

They way they have it I keep thinking, which of the boys have a basketball--is it Jim and John or Joey and Mike LOL.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd say boys (as in, not the girls, a description, not showing ownership).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

http://www.grammarly.com/answers/questions/17467-boys-basketball-vs-boys-basketball/

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

When I run into this, I try and substitute other words to see what makes sense.

My son was on a soccer team. If I were talking about his team I might say Leo's team (or I would, if in fact his name was Leo). I wouldn't say Leo team.

So, here I'd say boys' team, as in the team that belonged or was associated with the boys. Not boy's team or boys team.

 

[soccerdad72]

To me, it doesn't seem like a possessive situation at all. It's boys (and girls) playing basketball, not something they have possession of, IMO.

 

[Happy Snowman]

To me, it doesn't seem like a possessive situation at all. It's boys (and girls) playing basketball, not something they have possession of, IMO.

That is how I see it as well. The boys (5 boys) are playing, not the girls. The boys' are playing not the girls' would not be correct. If they were talking about an actual spherical thing, the actual basketball, and 3 boys owned that ball, boys' would be correct, I think.

 

[EMom]

They way they have it I keep thinking, which of the boys have a basketball--is it Jim and John or Joey and Mike LOL.

No, that is singular possessive. That would be boy's basketball team and be similar to Jim's, John's, Joey's or Mike's. If Jim's mother is talking to grandma, she might stay, "Jim's basketball team has a game tonight."

In this case, an entire team of male (vs. female) basketball players is being referenced. More than one boy = boys. Something that belongs to one boy = boy's. Something that belongs to a group of boys = boys'.

 

[EMom]

They could solve this by calling it male basketball.

 

[soccerdad72]

Not that I've looked at every site, but I searched a couple state athletics websites and they all seem to list their tournaments as "Boys Basketball" or "Girls Basketball", minus the apostrophe.

An example: http://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBasketball.aspx

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

That is how I see it as well. The boys (5 boys) are playing, not the girls. The boys' are playing not the girls' would not be correct. If they were talking about an actual spherical thing, the actual basketball, and 3 boys owned that ball, boys' would be correct, I think.

But 's doesn't just mean literal possession. We say "Timmy's teacher" even though Timmy does not, in fact, own the teacher. We say "my children's school" or "Jane's birthday". Possession is one connotation of 's but not the only.

 

[Happy Snowman]

No, that is singular possessive. That would be boy's basketball team and be similar to Jim's, John's, Joey's or Mike's. If Jim's mother is talking to grandma, she might stay, "Jim's basketball team has a game tonight."

In this case, an entire team of male (vs. female) basketball players is being referenced. More than one boy = boys. Something that belongs to one boy = boy's. Something that belongs to a group of boys = boys'.

Not when you are talking about 2 boys having a basketball, that would be boys' basketball because Jim and John have a basketball.

But 's doesn't just mean literal possession. We say "Timmy's teacher" even though Timmy does not, in fact, own the teacher. We say "my children's school" or "Jane's birthday". Possession is one connotation of 's but not the only.

Ownership doesn't mean that they "own" something however, it means it is "their" whatever...so yes, it's Timmy's teacher, Mrs. Smith, opposed to Julie's teacher, Mrs. Jones.

 

[Deb in IA]

I don't think the team belongs to either a single boy or to the group of boys, so I don't think it should be a possessive.
I think the "boys" is a descriptor of the team, so I would use "boys basketball team".

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Not when you are talking about 2 boys having a basketball, that would be boys' basketball because Jim and John have a basketball.

Ownership doesn't mean that they "own" something however, it means it is "their" whatever...so yes, it's Timmy's teacher, Mrs. Smith, opposed to Julie's teacher, Mrs. Jones.

And you wouldn't say "their basketball team"?

 

[Happy Snowman]

And you wouldn't say "their basketball team"?

Yes you would?? If Jim and Joe were on the same team and they were standing across the room..you were talking to someone and that someone asked you "who's team did you watch" and I pointed to Jim and Joe and said "their basketball team"...what else would you say?

 

[Happy Snowman]

I don't think the team belongs to either a single boy or to the group of boys, so I don't think it should be a possessive.
I think the "boys" is a descriptor of the team, so I would use "boys basketball team".

Exactly!

 

[LBIJim]

I'd just go with the adjective instead of the possessive. Boys Basketball.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Yes you would?? If Jim and Joe were on the same team and they were standing across the room..you were talking to someone and that someone asked you "who's team did you watch" and I pointed to Jim and Joe and said "their basketball team"...what else would you say?

Well of course, I would, but I'm not the one arguing that you can't say boy's basketball, but you can say the boys' teacher because it's "their teacher". I am completely not following your argument.