Grammar Help Needed.

[ruggief]

Ordering a sign for my son James. Its going to say Games Room. Lots of arguing about the apostrophe. Should it be James' Games Room or James's Games Room?

[Canary42]

Why not get it really wrong, and call it YOU'RE ROOM ;-)

[wolf63]

What about - Jim's Den or Jim's Batcave.

[ruggief]

Newcastle United Football ground. St. James' Park. He was born at the RVI Hospital

[Jackdaw33]

//He was born at the RVI Hospital\\

Who? St. James?

[bhg481]

Did you notice the Queen said "Jesus's birth"? If you're thinking queen's English it's got to be James's.

[bookbinder]

I thought that this topic had faded away, but, as it seems to have been resurrected, I shall mention this. It comes from:
Sir Ernest Gowers. The Complete Plain Words. Penguin Books. 1973.
There is no universally accepted code of rules governing the formation of the possessive case of names ending in s, but the most favoured practice (especially with monosyllables) seems to be not just to put an apostrophe at the end of the word ... but to add another s - St. James's Street.

[bhg481]

To me, some just sound wrong if you don't add the second S whilst others sound OK. It was just catching the Queen's broadcast and hearing her say "Jesus's" that brought this thread back to mind.

[Mexican18]

Has anyone said how old this boy is. Has anyone thought to ask him?

[PaulHab]

Apostrophes of possession: key question is 'Who is the owner?' (or who are the owners?). Then 1) write down the owner(s), 2) add an apostrophe, 3) add s if you need it for the sound. This method cuts out complicated rules about plurals.
There are no exceptions, but occasionally two correct options. The book belonging to James can be James' book or James's book depending on how you would say it. But THE APOSTROPHE IS ALWAYS PLACED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OWNER(S). Lucy's dress, children's clothes, several boys' coats etc.
Games room needs no apostrophe; the games don't own the room.

[Jackdaw33]

Jesus's sounds ugly. I would say, "Mary was Jesus' mother". If the Queen said 'Jesus's' she needs a few elocution lessons.

[Atheist]

Jackdaw, the Queen does speak Queen's English!!

[bednobs]

if i saw Jesus' written down, i would pronounce it Jesuses