Grammar: Possessive Nouns

Some Rules:

If two people own one thing, use an apostrophe for the second person only.

Ex. Ann and Rick's car (they own one car)

If two people don't own one thing, use an apostrophe for both.

Ex. Ann's and Rick's toes (they each have their own toes)

*Now, if a plural ends in s (boys) just add an apostrophe. Ex. The boys' jackets

*If the plural does not end in s (women, children) add an apostrophe and an s. Ex. The children's toys

Here's a cheatsheet:

The girl's coat= one girl, one coat
The girls' coat= two (or more) girls sharing the same coat
The girls' coats = two (or more) girls with different coats

Taken from the book Painless Grammar (Painless Series)
by Rebecca Elliott

Grammar: Nouns and When to Capitalize Them

I have started a series of grammar blogs. It will discuss the basics. I need the basics.

First Lesson: Nouns and When to Capitalize Them

Rules:

Capitalize:

1) Names of specific people: Ann, the Altman family, Roger
2) Days of the week, months, and holidays
3) Ranks and titles used with particular person's name: Doctor Handslip, Auntie Social, General Lee
4) Geographic Areas: Mexico, Ohio River, Pacific Ocean
5) Regions: North, Midwest
6) Historical Periods: World War II, Civil War
7) Religions, Nationalities, Races, Languages: Christians, Asians, English, German measles
8) School courses: Algebra 101, History of Rome
9) Names of schools, businesses, organizations, brand names, clubs and their members
10) Planets
11) Letters that stand alone: T-shirt or X-ray
12) Titles of movies, books, articles

When do you not capitalize?

1) You capitalize "Dad" and "Mom" when you call them but not when you say, "my dad"
2) You don't capitalize the seasons
3) You capitalize North when you are referring to a region but not when you are giving directions.
4) Do not capitalize the sun or moon. Do not capitalize the word earth unless you are referring to it as a planet.
5) In title names, do not capitalize "a, an, the, and, but, in, of, with, etc." unless they are

a) the beginning word or

b) they are part of the verb: Hold Up

Taken from the book Painless Grammar (Painless Series)
by Rebecca Elliott

Poem: Three Hours

If I had three hours to live
I would make sure I was good
with two:
my son and God.

If I had three weeks to live
I'd record a video message for my family and friends,
I'd forget house-cleaning, laundry and debt,
I'd hug my son a lot and stop to smell the roses,
And I would make sure I was good
with two:
my son and God.

If I had three months to live
I'd quit my day job and finish that book,
I'd travel to England and cry a lot,
I'd eat what I wanted and die obese,
And I would make sure I was good
with two:
my son and God.

If I had three years to live
I'd work part-time
and do something meaningful with my remaining years,
I'd let the dirt build up in the corners,
I'd take out credit to travel the world,
But before I die I would make sure I was good
with two:
my son and God.

If I had forever
I'd sleep the first year.
What else?
Let me get back to you later,
how does a thousand years sound?

If I just didn't know how long I had,
I'd probably continue to work at my job
even though I hate it.
I'd tirelessly clean my house
and fret over what people thought
even though they drove me nuts.
Why write today what you can write tomorrow?
I wouldn't stop and smell the roses or water them.
They'd die and I'd buy another pot.
I'd never get to England.
And I'd probably forget to tell my son that I loved him
and felt so proud of him.
I'd forget to make sure I was good
with two:
my son and God.
Again.

Poem by Ann Elle Altman

Poem: The Theory of Monet

I love art

That comes in all forms.

I could draw a decent stick man

Since the time I was born... five... twenty. (Hell, I still can't draw one.)

Anyway...

Because of my expertise

I really must say...

What the hell were people thinking...

Praising Monet?

I have seen his self portrait,

His cap and large ties,

But, I think something was missing

In front of his eyes...

I can see how it went

A day long, long ago...

Claude decided to paint

At the river that flowed...

He sat down on the bank

laid out things he had brought,

I forgot them again,

is what ran through his thoughts.

Back at home his father

Watches as time passes,

Why would Claude go paint

without taking his glasses?

He leaves the house

in such a hurry.

No wonder he comes home

with his paintings so blurry.

Claude, no one will buy it,

What will you do now?

I have been thinking father,

And I think I know how.

Marketing dad,

it will be a great hit!

An impressionist work

is what I'll call it!

Poem: I Can See Clearly Now, The Grain is Gone

Analog...

to High Definition?

Are you kidding me?

Get the latest edition?

What does it matter

that I can see clearly?

When they cancel Stargate

and My Own Worst Enemy?

In grainy black & white motion

we watched men walk on the moon,

Sullivan had on the Beatles

and we sang their tunes.

Did we need clear

to watch these defining scenes?

First man-on-man kiss

or Degrassi's first pregnant teen?

What about the Murphy Brown Riot,

a single woman's adoption?

And we all followed the Jeep

in the OJ Simpson escape run.

Variety Shows like "Idol"

made a comeback in grain,

Now we watch reality show seasons

again and again.

World changing events

like 9/11 and Obama,

We watched in Low-Def

and still called our mamas.

So what is this ploy

they are trying to get out?

It's really nothing special

to write home about.

The TV execs

throw their hands up and reason,

it must be picture quality

why viewers are leaving this season.

Really execs? You must be right,

it couldn't be the crappy shows that I see...

I guess I'll stick to watching

on the internet - commercial free!

First book cover..