Tax Question

jem16

xylophone wrote: »

http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/apostro.asp

My class's reports? (The reports you are writing for one class?)
My classes' reports? (The reports you are writing for several classes?);)

45 years ago I seem to remember being taught that if a word ended in an s, you only added the apostrophe and not another s as it was awkward.

Either that or my memory is failing me. Glad I'm not an English teacher - hated the subject!

middlepuss wrote: »

Or even simply class reports?

Class reports suggests reports written by the teacher about her class or classes: "I've got loads of class reports to write".

Class's reports suggests reports written by members of a class: "My class's reports are full of apostrophic errors".

Classes' reports suggests reports written by members of many classes: "I look after three classes and my classes' reports are the best punctuated in the whole school".

Yes? No?

I think I'll just go with writing a report about each child in my class.

zygurat789

Isn't it a bit worrying that everyone except the teacher knows?

xylophone

Class reports suggests reports written by the teacher about her class or classes: "I've got loads of class reports to write".

Class's reports suggests reports written by members of a class: "My class's reports are full of apostrophic errors".

Class's reports means 'the reports of (the pupils in) the class'. This can mean either 'the reports on the children in the class' (eg, those written by the teacher) or reports written by the pupils in the class (about a visit to a museum, for example). Meaning is determined by context.

Similarly 'my classes' reports' can mean 'my reports on the pupils in my classes' or 'reports written by pupils in my classes'.

The word 'class' can also act as a modifier (in which case it does not require the apostrophe indicating possession, for example, 'the class system' or indeed, 'class reports'......

jem16

zygurat789 wrote: »

Isn't it a bit worrying that everyone except the teacher knows?

The problem with English rules is that there are so many exceptions to the rules that no-one knows for certain what the rules are.

My teaching 45 years ago would suggest it is awkward to use 's for words ending in s. More modern times suggest the opposite apart from some awkward names like Jesus.

If in doubt avoid it!

middlepuss

jem16 wrote: »

45 years ago I seem to remember being taught that if a word ended in an s, you only added the apostrophe and not another s as it was awkward.

I think it's one of those areas where there is no clear right and wrong. Is it Bridget Jones's Diary or Bridget Jones' Diary? Personally I'd prefer Bridget Jones's Diary. Mars' atmosphere or Mars's atmosphere? Mars's atmoshpere for me. Write it like you say it? Dickens's novels: would you pronouce it dickens novels or dickenses novels?

Plurals are more clear cut: no s after the apostrophe, as a rule.

jem16

middlepuss wrote: »

I think it's one of those areas where there is no clear right and wrong. Is it Bridget Jones's Diary or Bridget Jones' Diary? Personally I'd prefer Bridget Jones's Diary. Mars' atmosphere or Mars's atmosphere? Mars's atmoshpere for me. Write it like you say it? Dickens's novels: would you pronouce it dickens novels or dickenses novels?

In all those cases I would go with the opposite of you.

middlepuss

jem16 wrote: »

In all those cases I would go with the opposite of you.

Try Googling Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones' Diary.

jem16

middlepuss wrote: »

Try Googling Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones' Diary.

I did and both were prevalent.

I think it's down to which generation you belong to.

middlepuss

jem16 wrote: »

I think it's down to which generation you belong to.

Could be, but I'm ancient...

Interesting discussion on this very subject: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=764342
which includes the line:
I see that The Times still writes "Jonathan Ross's wife, Jane Goldman",

Savvy_Sue

And getting back on topic ...

CLAPTON wrote: »

so if all your savings interest is in her name then she will only pay 20% tax whilst if it is your name you will be liable to 40% tax

but if it is in her sole name it will be easier for her to run off with it if it all goes pear-shaped.

Just a thought ...