Barbeques are a time for people to get together and have fun. Traditionally, in China everyone from my parent’s town in Taiwan and Shanghai would come together and enjoy a barbeque together.
(would it be parents or parent's?)
2007-03-21 06:50:56 · 11 answers · asked by je m'appelle Serenity 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Wide awake is correct, of course -- "parent's" for one parent's town, and "parents'" for two parents' town or towns. I'm surprised no one commented on the first line, though.
For one thing, the plural subject of the sentence "Barbecues" requires a plural predicate nominative "times". For another thing, I think the terms "events" or "occasions" are more appropriate than "times" to describe something like a barbecue. The first sentence should be: "Barbecues are occasions for people to get together and have fun."
2007-03-21 07:35:44 · answer #1 · answered by Horace S Patoot 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would be neither of those. It would be "Parents' " (with the apostrophe at the end.) When a word ends in an "s", you put the apostrophe after the s.
Ex. Barbeques= Barbeques'
This rule doesn't apply to first names (unless it is Jesus you're writing about... for some strange reason they write "Jesus' " instead of "Jesus's ")
Ex. Charles= Charles's
PS
A comma is needed after the word "China":
Traditionally, in China, everyone from my parents' town in Taiwan and Shanghai would come together and enjoy a barbeque together.
2007-03-21 18:04:04 · answer #2 · answered by Squeegee Beckingheim :-) 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, the parent question is pretty well answered. However, barbeques are not a time. Barbeques are an event, a place, or some other such noun. For instance, at barbeques in my parents' towns, etc. We often have barbeques in ... What time is the barbeque? Where will the barbeque be? And when will the barbeque be? and so on. FWIW.
2007-03-21 15:57:50 · answer #3 · answered by carl j 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you only have one parent, or only one parent from that town, it would be "my parent's town," meaning the town of my parent (one).
If you have two parents, it would be "my parents' town," meaning the town of my parents (more than one).
This is true because the plural of "parent" is "parents," and THEN you are applying the possessive. Note there is a difference between these, despite some of your other answers.
2007-03-21 13:58:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
The correct way of writing that would be:
parent's
This is because it shows 'ownership,' as in the town that belonged to your parents. The other way would be incorrect because then the sentence would mean something like a town for parents.
2007-03-21 13:57:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
PARENTS' The noun is plural and the possessive apostrophe goes after the S.
2007-03-21 14:17:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
that depends whether you are talking about one or both parents :)
if it's one parent, then *parent's* is correct.
but - as is more likely - if it's both parents, then it would be * parents' *.
the possessive apostrophe goes after the *s* of plurals.
so:
the cat's food = one cat
the cats' food = two or more of the hungry beasts ;)
2007-03-21 13:58:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Parent's does show ownership, but I don't think that you parnets own Taiwan or Shanghai?!
2007-03-21 13:55:24 · answer #8 · answered by rachel 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Parents' -- if you were to say parent's you would be implying parent is and that doesn't make sense.
2007-03-21 14:22:05 · answer #9 · answered by Okaydokay21 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wouldn't it be parents' as you've got more than one parent?
2007-03-21 13:59:10 · answer #10 · answered by Kate J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋