Grammar Help Needed

[kwelch10377]

Is it businesses, business's, businesses' or something else for this sentence?

“Did the associate ask questions about your businesses copying needs?”

Grammar is not my strong suit and the coworker I usually ask is in a meeting.

TIA!

 

[olwyngdh]

It is possessive, so it is the 's

 

[Disfan1]

If the person you are asking only has one business, I would think it would be business' (just the apostrophe, no extra s)

 

[wisblue]

Is it businesses, business's, businesses' or something else for this sentence?

“Did the associate ask questions about your businesses copying needs?”

Grammar is not my strong suit and the coworker I usually ask is in a meeting.

TIA!

It should be "business's", assuming that you are referring to just one business and its copying needs.

In your sentence the word is a singular possessive of the word "business". "Businesses" is a plural for the word "business", as in "I own and operate two businesses".

"Businesses'" is a plural possessive of the word "business", as in "I have responsibility for my two businesses' copying needs".

Hope this helps.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Is it businesses, business's, businesses' or something else for this sentence?

“Did the associate ask questions about your businesses copying needs?”

Grammar is not my strong suit and the coworker I usually ask is in a meeting.

TIA!

I would probably edit the sentence to read:

"Did the associate ask questions about your copying needs?". The "needs" are inclusive of the business. Just my .02.

 

[RunningGirl]

business's

 

[Carnie]

I agree that adding any form of "business" seems redundant.

But if you want to use it, it's "business's"

 

[LiberalPrincess]

I would probably edit the sentence to read:

"Did the associate ask questions about your copying needs?". The "needs" are inclusive of the business. Just my .02.

Great edit. But, if you have to use the singular possessive of business, I believe it is business'. At least that is how most style manuals have it.

 

[kwelch10377]

I would probably edit the sentence to read:

"Did the associate ask questions about your copying needs?". The needs are inclusive of the business. Just my .02.

We can't. It is a question on our Mystery Shop questionnaire and we are looking for associates to ask questions about the copy order needs of the business and that wording isn't specific enough for the stores to understand what we are looking for. With that wording they think just by asking "how many copies do you need?" will get them a yes for that question.

 

[wisblue]

We can't. It is a question on our Mystery Shop questionnaire and we are looking for associates to ask questions about the copy order needs of the business and that wording isn't specific enough for the stores to understand what we are looking for. With that wording they think just by asking "how many copies do you need?" will get them a yes for that question.

When in doubt you can avoid the issue by referring to "...the copying needs of your business". That might be clearer anyway without making the sentence longer.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Great edit. But, if you have to use the singular possessive of business, I believe it is business'. At least that is how most style manuals have it.

Thanks.

When in doubt you can avoid the issue by referring to "...the copying needs of your business". That might be clearer anyway without making the sentence longer.

That's what I would do. Reword it.

 

[allyphoe]

Great edit. But, if you have to use the singular possessive of business, I believe it is business'. At least that is how most style manuals have it.

I personally favor that presentation, but Wikipedia (not authoritative, but I don't care enough to verify its cites) says we're in the minority.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostr....80.9Cs.E2.80.9D_or_.E2.80.9Cz.E2.80.9D_sound

 

[LiberalPrincess]

I personally favor that presentation, but Wikipedia (not authoritative, but I don't care enough to verify its cites) says we're in the minority.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostr....80.9Cs.E2.80.9D_or_.E2.80.9Cz.E2.80.9D_sound

Yeah, I looked it up after I posted and there are definitely varying views. But, I generally go by AP's style manual, and they agree with us!