picky uses of apostrophes question
 

I've been looking everywhere for an answer to this, but I can't find it anywhere, so I was wondering if anyone on here could help me?

I want to know if it is just as correct to say "Rachel's going to be late" as it is to say "Rachel is going to be late." My friend insists that Rachel's implies possessive, and only possessive, whereas I think it is correct. Help please?

Thank you~ ^^

Your friend is right.

's is only short for "is" when saying it's .

..., then I guess my English teacher last year was wrong all along. Hmm, maybe I can get the crazy lady fired now. XD j/k

But I was taught that it could mean is...learn somethin new everyday

Oh okay, thank you!

ちょーーーーーっと

's
can be for:
it's (it is)、 or for： rachael's purse (ownership)　or for : rachael's funny (rachael is funny)

Right...Right...Wrong

You can say "Rachel's funny" and everyone will know what you mean, like you can say "I'm gonna go now". However when writing it out, neither is correct English grammar. A proper name followed by 's is always possessive.

You're both right.
However, like MMM pointed out, it isn't recommended using 's as "is" after a proper noun, when writing. It's more of a colloquial tool; used mostly in spoken language.


In other words, when you're chatting, it's alright.
... When you're trying to produce a formal letter or message, it's not.

thanks for the tip, that helped me too

I say everyone here is wrong. As time passes, languages change, and their grammar changes. And adding to the fact that English is regulated by no country, no one is really right. While it's possible that "Rachel's funny" could have not been acceptable grammar centuries ago, It is very frequently used in modern times, and perfectly acceptable grammar.

Furthermore, when saying "Rachel's going to be late," the average English speaker would understand it as "Rachel is going to be late," and almost never be conscious of the possibility of it meaning something possesive.

I would like to see a website that says that a name followed by a 's is always possesive.

As an actual linguist, I`ll do my best to answer.

In this case (Rachel is vs. Rachel`s) the "is" is written as a disambiguation. What MMM said is essentially correct - A noun followed by 's represents possession in almost all cases ("it`s" being an exception). In spoken context, you`re not likely to misinterpret the meaning, but in written form possibly without context - it`s a possibility.

Yes, language changes over time, but I have yet to see a real example of a change that made language more difficult to understand being accepted. That is what allowing 's to be "is" when attached to anything would do.