Hi all, I know my spelling and grammar is pretty bad on the forum but when I think about it I can usually get it right.  But I'm stuck with this one 

When writing about a single flower is it:

a) the flowers colour

b) the flower's colour

c) the flowers' colour

The sentance I am writing goes "....during the flowers becoming [of age]"

 

Don't ask!

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http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/howto.pdf 

http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/guides.htm

My grammar isn't good either but I'd change the wording. Have a look at the above links.

Hope it helps

If only we had voting buttons   I'd go for (B)
I guess the flower itself may be singular but would you be describing multiple flower-heads?

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Brian

Flickr Galleries

Hobee, thanks for that, but as it's part of a caption for a photograph so plain english doesn't come into it!  I have tried re-wording it, I've gone from 60 something words down to 20   Thanks anyway.

Shadow_Wolf, I am describing one flower head, but agree with you that I think it should be b.  I think it would be c if I was describing multiple flowers.

Hmm

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martin_hurton:

Hi all, I know my spelling and grammar is pretty bad on the forum but when I think about it I can usually get it right.  But I'm stuck with this one 

When writing about a single flower is it:

a) the flowers colour                The correct plural of flower.

b) the flower's colour               Does not really exist in English.

c) the flowers' colour               Denotes something that belongs to the flower.

The sentance (sentence) I am writing goes "....during the flowers becoming [of age]"

Don't ask!

Hi Martin,

Bearing in mind that it is not far off 40 years since my last detention in English for getting this stuff repeatedly wrong, I would opt for c) myself, or possibly change the wording to eliminate the apostrophe altogether, such as; "the colour of the flower".

By the way, sentence does not have an "a" in it and I'm not certain about the use of "becoming" now that youv'e asked.

Cheers, Peter.

 

I am happy to bow down if incorrect but I would have sworn that the plural of the colour belonging to a single flower is theflower's colour, if it was more than one flower it would be the flowers' colour. The flowers colour would imply that colour is being used as a verb to the plural noun flowers.

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Pete B(BPITW -5 times)
http://www.christianblandford.com/
DCM
flickr

I can tell that Peter enjoyed getting the red pen out

Thanks Pete B, the gf has found an Oxford book of Grammar and usage which states the same.  What else do we have in those unpacked boxes...?

Cheers all, I'll go with (c) in this instance. 

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martin_hurton:

Cheers all, I'll go with (c) in this instance. 

Huh? You mean B.

As Pete, and the Oxford book of grammar and me all reckon .

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Kidography. It's like photography. But more fun.

Well as a secretary of many years standing and something I was taught when taking my English 'O' level - I agree with Blandfordp.

Think of the original word - does it naturally end in an s or not.

If you are talking about a flower in the singular then it is 's - e.g. the flower's colour.

If you're are talking about flowers in the plural, that already ends in an s, so the apostrophe goes after -e.g. the flowers' colour. You leave off the s.  (A common mistake is keeping the s - you often see St James's Street which is incorrect).

The other use of the apostrophe is when it's indicating that something's missing (see my use in this sentence - it is indicating that the 'i' is missing in each case).

Hope this helps!  You're probably well confused by now LOL!

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Cheers
Moon

Camera = Fuji FinePix S6500fd - currently playing with Cannon EOS 300D on loan
Moonlustie's Gallery

I did mean (b), cheers!

Thanks moonlustie, I understand it now, not sure if I'll remember it all the next time I need it but that's what the search function is for

Cheers everyone.

 

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It's definately 'b' as you're describing the colour of the flower.

Nick

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Nick's Gallery

martin_hurton:

Hi all, I know my spelling and grammar is pretty bad on the forum but when I think about it I can usually get it right.  But I'm stuck with this one 

When writing about a single flower is it:

a) the flowers colour

This could only be right if the flowers are actually colouring something themselves.

Example of correct use: Usually this field is green, but the flowers colour it blue in June.

b) the flower's colour

This is correct when describing the colour of a single flower.

Example of correct use: The flower's colour contrasts with the dark clouds behind.

c) the flowers' colour

This is correct if you are talking about a number of flowers.

Example of correct use: The flowers' colour turned the green field a pastel blue.

The sentance I am writing goes "....during the flowers becoming [of age]"

 

Don't ask!

Peter, with the best will in the world your reply wasn't correct....

B is correct

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James De Vile
digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
Future Publishing

JD:

martin_hurton:

Hi all, I know my spelling and grammar is pretty bad on the forum but when I think about it I can usually get it right.  But I'm stuck with this one 

When writing about a single flower is it:

a) the flowers colour

This could only be right if the flowers are actually colouring something themselves.

Example of correct use: Usually this field is green, but the flowers colour it blue in June.

b) the flower's colour

This is correct when describing the colour of a single flower.

Example of correct use: The flower's colour contrasts with the dark clouds behind.

c) the flowers' colour

This is correct if you are talking about a number of flowers.

Example of correct use: The flowers' colour turned the green field a pastel blue.

The sentance I am writing goes "....during the flowers becoming [of age]"

 

Don't ask!

Peter, with the best will in the world your reply wasn't correct....

B is correct

And YOU are equally incorrect JD - the answer is obviously  (a)

Why ???

Well flowers do colour - that is about the only thing they do - apart from supplying the odd insect with nectar.

Apostrophies are only the lazy man's (the man who is lazy) way of expressing something. But why should the English know anything about the proper use of their "grammar" - after all they only bloody invented it in the first place - and look what a botch up they made of it -

What difference does it make anyway - spelling is the real problem - is it not ? - or is that another story ? 

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Enjoy your photography HERE and ELSEWHERE ! - Gil

GIL'S DIGITAL PHOTO GALLERY

JD:

Peter, with the best will in the world your reply wasn't correct....

B is correct

Blast It!!!!

Does that mean I have to miss lunch break again and sit in the library writing lines?

Cheers, Peter.

Peter J. Jackson:

JD:

Peter, with the best will in the world your reply wasn't correct....

B is correct

Blast It!!!!

Does that mean I have to miss lunch break again and sit in the library writing lines?

Cheers, Peter.

My detentions were always in PE. I'd either not turn up, turn up and pretend to forget my gym kit or get changed, run outside with everyone else, run out the school gates and go home for an hour.

Best part about it was my PE teacher wasn't particularly clever, so kept forgetting he'd put me in detention.

Ah, school.

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James De Vile
digitalcameramagazine.co.uk
Future Publishing