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Mini English Lesson:
Whose Place? Talking About Houses and Businesses Using Apostrophe + ‘S’ and Possessive Pronouns.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Using Apostrophe + ‘S’ and Possessive Pronouns.
Have you ever noticed how we talk about familiar places like someone’s house or a business without actually saying the words “house” or “shop”?
In English, we often use apostrophe + ‘s’ or possessive pronouns to refer to people’s homes or places of business.
For example, instead of saying “I’m going to John’s house,”
we simply say, “I’m going to John’s.”
This way of speaking is informal, common in everyday English, and easy to master once you understand the rules. Today, we’ll explore how to use these forms to sound more natural and fluent in English.
Apostrophe + ‘S’ for Familiar Places:
When talking about familiar people’s homes or businesses, we can drop the word “house” or “shop” and just use the person’s name followed by an apostrophe + ‘s’. This makes your speech shorter and more casual.
- Examples:
- We’re going over to Sarah’s later. (= Sarah’s house)
- I bought milk from the grocer’s. (= the grocer’s shop)
- I’m meeting David at the doctor’s. (= the doctor’s surgery)
Using Possessive Pronouns:
Possessive pronouns like mine, yours, ours, and theirs can also be used to refer to someone’s home.
This is especially common in conversations about meeting up or visiting someone’s place.
- Examples:
- Let’s have dinner at mine. (= my house)
- Shall we go to yours tomorrow night? (= your house)
- They’re hosting a party at theirs. (= their house)
How It Works:
- Apostrophe + ‘S’: This construction can be used with names of people, professions, or familiar businesses.
- Example 1: “We’re going to Paul’s tonight.” (Paul’s house)
- Example 2: “I need to go to the dentist’s.” (Dentist’s office)
- Possessive Pronouns: These can replace a full noun phrase, so you don’t have to repeat the place name.
- Example 1: “The barbecue is at ours this weekend.” (Our house)
- Example 2: “Shall I come to yours after work?” (Your house)
When To Use It:
Use these forms when talking casually with friends or in informal settings. It’s most commonly used in everyday conversations, particularly when discussing meeting at someone’s house or visiting a familiar shop or business.
Using Apostrophe +
‘S’ and Possessive Pronouns.
- Complete the sentence: “We’re going over to ______ for lunch.”
a) Sarah
b) Sarah’s - Choose the correct sentence:
a) “I’ll meet you at the baker’s.”
b) “I’ll meet you at the baker.” - Fill in the blank: “I’m picking up some medicine from the ______.”
a) doctor’s
b) doctor - Choose the correct form: “Let’s eat dinner at ______ tonight.”
a) mine
b) my - Which of these sentences is correct?
a) “I’m going to theirs for the weekend.”
b) “I’m going to their for the weekend.” - Complete the sentence: “I have an appointment at the ______.”
a) dentist
b) dentist’s - Select the correct sentence:
a) “Shall we go to yours tomorrow?”
b) “Shall we go to your tomorrow?”
Answers:
- b) Sarah’s
- a) “I’ll meet you at the baker’s.”
- a) doctor’s
- a) mine
- a) “I’m going to theirs for the weekend.”
- b) dentist’s
- a) “Shall we go to yours tomorrow?”
