owner + 's + thingPut 's directly after the owner noun. The owned thing comes next.
Genitive: 's vs Of
B1Use 's mostly with people and living things. Use of more often with things, abstract ideas, and longer noun phrases.
What you'll learn
- Choose 's with people and living owners.
- Choose of with things, ideas, and longer phrases.
- Put 's on the owner noun.
- Build noun + of + noun correctly.
- Pick the more natural phrase in context.
Structure
thing + of + owner/descriptionPut the main noun first, then of, then the noun or phrase that identifies it.
Build a sentence
Phrase type
John'sidea
John's idea
With a person's name, 's is the natural choice.
When to use
People and animals
Use 's for owners, family, body parts, and personal things: Lisa's bag, the cat's tail, Tom's sister.
Things and abstract nouns
Use of when the owner is a thing or an idea: the roof of the house, the color of the sky, the idea of the century.
Long noun phrases
Use of when the owner phrase is long: the policy of the company across the street. It is easier to read than adding 's at the end.
Markers
Johnthe dog'sof the buildingof the centuryof the company across the street
Common mistakes
Wrong
the car of John
Correct
John's car
With a person's name, 's is the natural choice.
Wrong
the century's idea
Correct
the idea of the century
With an abstract or non-human phrase like the century, of sounds more natural.
Wrong
John idea's
Correct
John's idea
Put 's on the owner noun, not on the second noun.
Wrong
the name of John's
Correct
John's name
Do not mix of and 's inside one simple ownership phrase.
Wrong
the roof the house
Correct
the roof of the house
In this pattern you need of between the two nouns.
Common misconceptions
❝ 's and of are always fully interchangeable. ❞
Both can show a relationship, but one pattern often sounds much more natural. People tend to take 's; things and long phrases often take of.
❝ Of is always better because it sounds more formal. ❞
Formal style does not mean better choice. If the owner is a person, 's is often the normal pattern even in careful writing.
Skills in this rule (5)
USE_S_WITH_PEOPLEw5Use 's more naturally with people and living things
Choose John's car, Maria's idea, the dog's bowl when the owner is a person or animal. This is the short, natural pattern for owners and close relationships.
USE_OF_WITH_LONG_OR_THING_NOUNSw5Use of more naturally with things, ideas, and longer noun phrases
Choose the roof of the building, the idea of the century, the end of the movie when the first noun is a thing, an abstract idea, or a long phrase. This pattern often sounds clearer and lighter.
PLACE_S_ON_THE_OWNERw5Put 's on the owner, not on the thing
In John's idea, Anna's office, and the dog's tail, add 's to the owner noun. The owned thing comes after it.
BUILD_OF_AS_NOUN_OF_NOUNw4Build of phrases as noun + of + noun
Put the main thing first, then of, then the noun that defines it: the color of the wall, the name of the street. Do not add 's inside this pattern.
CHOOSE_THE_MORE_NATURAL_PATTERNw5Choose the more natural pattern between 's and of
Look at the owner noun and the length of the phrase. Prefer 's with people and of with things or long descriptions.