Writers and editors frequently encounter the question of how to format possessive names ending in s, particularly when adhering to Modern Language Association (MLA) style. The core challenge lies in balancing grammatical clarity with the aesthetic repetition of the letter s, leading to confusion over whether to add just an apostrophe or an apostrophe followed by another s. This guide provides definitive rules and examples to ensure your citations and prose maintain a polished and professional appearance.
Understanding the Standard MLA Rule
According to the MLA Handbook, the standard protocol for forming the possessive of singular nouns, including names, is to add an apostrophe followed by the letter s. This rule applies regardless of whether the noun already ends in s, z, or an s sound. The primary goal of this convention is to ensure readability and to distinguish the possessive form clearly from the singular noun. While some style guides allow for flexibility with ancient names or words like "for goodness' sake," MLA prioritizes consistency and clarity in academic writing.
The Basic Formula: Apostrophe + s
For the vast majority of names, the correct construction involves adding both an apostrophe and a succeeding s. This approach maintains the visual and auditory distinction between the singular and possessive forms. Omitting the additional s can result in a possessive that looks awkward or is difficult to pronounce mentally. The following examples illustrate the application of this fundamental rule to common names.
Addressing Pronunciation and Flow
Opponents of the double s often argue that phrases like "James's book" are difficult to pronounce and disrupt the flow of reading. However, MLA guidance suggests that the added s is necessary to prevent confusion, especially when dealing with names that have sibilant endings. The visual cue of the second s helps the reader immediately recognize the word as a possessive, reducing the cognitive load during silent reading. In professional typesetting, this consistency is valued over subjective notions of ease.
Plural Nouns and Shared Possession
When the noun is already plural and does not end in s, such as "children" or "women," the possessive is formed with just an apostrophe. If the plural noun ends in s, you simply add an apostrophe after the existing s. Furthermore, when discussing shared possession between two or more people, the possessive s or apostrophe is applied only to the final name in the list. This specific convention prevents redundancy and clarifies the relationship between the individuals and the object possessed.
For example, to indicate that the book belongs to both Sarah and Emily, you would write "Sarah and Emily’s book." This signals that the book is jointly owned. Conversely, if the possession is individual, the marker must appear with each name, as in "Sarah’s and Emily’s books," indicating that Sarah owns one book and Emily owns another.
Handling Names with Silent Consonants
Names like "Diaz" or "Simpson" end with an s sound but are spelled with a final z or x. The MLA rule remains consistent: you add 's to ensure the possessive is visually complete. Writing "Diaz' report" might seem phonetically logical, but it deviates from the standardized format expected in humanities documentation. Sticking to "Diaz's" and "Simpson's" guarantees that your writing aligns with the established academic norms, making your work appear more authoritative and polished.
