Kirstin:

I agree with Richard that when you add a syllable you normally add the s,
even when the word ends in a double s:  Betsy Ross's flag; Hoss's Steak
House.  The questionable occasions are those in which the word has two
sibilant sounds, as in Jesus or Texas.  When these are possessive, they are
often written without the s, probably because that third s is not sounded:
Texas' laws; Jesus' followers.

As with many punctuation conventions, you will find variations in the s
possessive.

Martha Kolln





>Hi!
>
>Here's a new question to throw out.  When you have a singular noun that ends
>in s, to turn it into a possessive, do you add only the apostrophe, or
>apostrophe "s"?  For example: Christopher Columbus' birthday or is it
>Christopher Columbus's birthday?
>
>-Kirstin Schwartz
>Washington International School
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