Witness’ or Witness’s or Witness? Understanding Possessives

When it comes to the word witness, understanding how to form its possessive can be a challenge. English grammar offers different approaches depending on whether you’re dealing with a singular or plural possessive. Let’s dive into the rules and guidelines from major stylebooks like the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook to settle the debate: witness’ or witness’s or just witness?

The Singular Form: Witness

First, let’s begin with the simplest form: witness. This is just the singular form of the noun. In this context, witness refers to a single individual who sees an event or gives testimony in a legal case.

Example:

• The witness gave a compelling testimony in court.

In this sentence, we’re simply referring to one person without indicating ownership or possession. The word is used in its basic singular form.

Singular Possessive: Witness’s

Now, what if we want to show that something belongs to the witness? Here’s where singular possessive rules come into play. To form the singular possessive of witness, we traditionally add an apostrophe + s (’s) to the word. This is in line with the rules set forth by both the Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press (AP) stylebook.

Example:

• The witness’s statement was key to the testimony.

In this example, the statement belongs to the witness. By adding ’s, we indicate possession or ownership.

But Wait—What About Just Witness’?

Things can get tricky when we explore the other option: witness’. Some style guides, particularly older versions of the AP stylebook, recommend dropping the extra s for singular nouns that end in s. This would mean using just an apostrophe at the end of witness to show possession, like this:

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Example:

• The witness’ testimony influenced the jury.

Here, the apostrophe indicates possession without adding the extra s. However, many stylebooks, including the Chicago Manual of Style, argue that even when a singular noun ends in s, it’s still correct to add ’s for clarity.

Which Is Correct—Witness’s or Witness’?

The choice between witness’s and witness’ depends on which style guide you follow. The Chicago Manual of Style advocates for witness’s, making it the preferred option for most academic and formal writing. However, AP style, used in journalism, is more flexible, allowing witness’ for ease and simplicity.

Scenario Example: Using Singular Possessive in Context

Imagine you’re covering a court case for a newspaper:

• The witness’s account of the accident conflicted with the other witnesses’ statements.

Here, witness’s is used to show that one person’s account is being referenced, while witnesses’ (the plural possessive) is used for the other participants.

Plural Form: Witnesses

Now that we’ve covered the singular possessive, let’s move on to the plural form. The plural of witness is witnesses—meaning more than one person who observes an event or provides evidence.

Example:

• The witnesses were called to the stand.

In this sentence, witnesses refers to multiple people, not indicating any ownership or possession.

Plural Possessive: Witnesses’

When we want to show that something belongs to multiple witnesses, we add an apostrophe after the s to form the plural possessive: witnesses’. This indicates that something belongs to more than one witness.

Example:

• The witnesses’ memories of the event were unclear.

In this sentence, the memories belong to the group of witnesses. We place the apostrophe after the s to indicate that we’re dealing with the plural possessive.

Guidelines for Forming Possessives

To summarize the rules:

• For singular possessives, add ’s: witness’s.
• For plural possessives, add just an apostrophe after the s: witnesses’.
• For basic plurals, no apostrophe is needed: witnesses.

Different stylebooks provide guidance on these rules, and while there is some variation, both the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP stylebook agree on the basics: singular possessive gets an ’s, while plural possessive only gets an apostrophe.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most common mistakes is confusing singular and plural possessives. Let’s break it down clearly:

• The witness’ testimony. (Incorrect unless following older AP guidelines.)
• The witness’s testimony. (Correct for singular possessive.)
• The witnesses’ statements. (Correct for plural possessive.)

The Role of Possessives in Writing

Possessives are more than just grammatical constructs—they help clarify ownership and relationships between elements in a sentence. When writing about legal cases, for example, it’s crucial to use the correct form to avoid ambiguity in describing testimonies and evidence.

Example in Legal Context:

• The witness’s testimony was pivotal in the trial.
• The witnesses’ recollections varied widely.

In these examples, the possessive form ensures that readers understand who owns the testimony or recollections.

Chicago Manual of Style vs. AP Stylebook: Key Differences

The Chicago Manual of Style tends to favor the more traditional approach of always adding ’s for singular possessive, regardless of whether the noun ends in s. On the other hand, the AP stylebook is more flexible, allowing for the dropping of the extra s after the apostrophe for words like witness.

Example:

• Chicago Manual: The witness’s testimony was recorded.
• AP Stylebook: The witness’ testimony was recorded.

Both are technically correct, depending on the context in which you’re writing.

Practical Tips for Writers

When deciding between witness’s and witness’, always consider your audience and the style guide you’re following. For more formal, academic writing, witness’s is usually the safer choice, aligning with the Chicago Manual of Style. If you’re writing for journalism or other quick, easy-to-read formats, AP style might guide you to use witness’.

Conclusion: Which One Should You Use?

The choice between witness’, witness’s, or just witness ultimately comes down to context, style preference, and the guidelines you follow. Here’s a quick recap:

• Witness: Use when referring to a singular person with no possession.
• Witness’s: Use for singular possessive, following Chicago Manual of Style rules.
• Witness’: Acceptable in certain contexts, especially in AP style.
• Witnesses: Plural form, no possession involved.
• Witnesses’: Plural possessive—used when referring to something owned by multiple people.

By understanding the distinctions between singular and plural possessive forms, and following the stylebooks that best fit your writing needs, you’ll ensure clarity and precision in your text. Whether you’re drafting legal documents, writing news reports, or composing academic essays, mastering possessives is key to effective communication.