English language question?

Question

My friend is watching TV = My friend's watching TV
My mother is cooking lunch = My mother's cooking lunch

Can I use that with everything? like:
Peter is = Peter's
My pencil is = My pencil's
My sister is = My sister's

Are there any exceptions?

Thank you.

Elizabeth G;
I knew about the possessive case. I knew about “its”(possessive) and “it’s”(it is).
I just thought that it was only allowed to use the “is” contraction with “he/she/it”(which looks the same as the “has/has got” contraction btw), but I never knew that the “is” contraction could be used with ANY WORD…and I don’t like that…so I will only use it with the “he/she/it” words. Thank you for your interesting answer.

Answer 1

Hi Vidigal,

SKCave's answer is correct and clear.
The apostrophe has 2 uses:
1. The omission of letter or numbers, e.g. can't; he's; 1 Jan '92
2. The possessive case, e.g. Harry's book; boys' coats

Alot of English people get confused about it's proper use and it is therefore mis-used a great deal. There are even web sites about the mis-use of the apostrophe!

You have a good grasp of English grammar.

Answer 2

I think they all show the differences between how you would write and actually speak the sentences.

You would need to write 'My friend is watching TV', in a story for instance.

But if you were reporting how it was actually spoken it would be necessary to use 'friend's', e.g. 'My friend's watching TV, and can't talk to you right now' I said.

Same with the others, e.g. My pencil is in my bag.
'Oh no!', she exclaimed, 'my pencil's broken again!' (Here it would mean 'my pencil has broken')

Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 3

All that u have written is perfectly correct. They are known as contractions. "Peter's on his way home" "My pencil's broken" My sister's on the phone (again). The exception is "it". It's means it is. Its means belonging to it. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

your first two sentences are not correct imho.
it would be slang.
there is no such contraction as friend's meaning friend is
or mother's meaning mother is.
friend's means possessive
my friend's dinner is getting cold
mother's is also possessive
my mother's lunch is cooking on the stove.
your premise is a big mistake.

however there is a contraction "it's" meaning it is
that's the only one i can think of that's really correct,
though your way is often said in slang, not written

Answer 5

I believe you can do that all the time. It's vs. its is a little tricky. It's = it is; its = something that belongs to it.

Answer 6

yes, but sometimes it can be confused with propierty.

ex.= the dog's owner or the dog is owner