possessive s

[maiabulela]

Dear all,

I really need to know the case where exactly I can use the possessive "s".

For example, I understand that we can say "Mark's book" when the book belongs to Mark. Also, I understand that we say "can opener" with no "possessive s" bec. "Can" here refers to all cans in general not to one specific can. Still I can't put my hand on the rule... I need somboedy to illustrate that for me and give me more examples. Like What's the difference bet. "Application catalogue" and "Application's catalogue"... Can't really decide when to use it and when not.

Can you make it clear for me? If you can provide me with any references, I'll be so grateful. But I need something clear about "possesive s" in particular.

Thanks a lot.

[maiabulela]

Or in other words, When to make two nouns "possessive nouns" and when to make them "compound nouns"

Also, check this link out:
http://www.englishforums.com/English...dnpll/post.htm

it's says "if we say "kitchen's table" it would the tab;e of some one called "Kitchen"!! And I'm confused here, does it really refer to someone called |Kitchen" or it just refers to a table of a "specific kitchen"???

Thanks a lot

[lauralie2]

Apostrophe -s is used to show possession:

• Mark's book
  
  • a book belonging to Mark

• can's opener
  
  • an opener belonging to a specific can
  • Cf. can opener
    
    • something that opens a can

• application's catalogue
  
  • a catalogue belonging to a specific application
  • Cf. application catalogue
    
    • a catalogue about (an) application(s)
      

• kitchen's table
  
  • a table belonging to a specific kitchen
    
    • e.g., The kitchen in this picture has a table that is too large / This kitchen's table is too large.

• • Cf. kitchen table
    
    • a table used in the kitchen

[maiabulela]

Apostrophe -s is used to show possession:

• Mark's book
  
  • a book belonging to Mark

• can's opener
  
  • an opener belonging to a specific can
  • Cf. can opener
    
    • something that opens a can

• application's catalogue
  
  • a catalogue belonging to a specific application
  • Cf. application catalogue
    
    • a catalogue about (an) application(s)
      

• kitchen's table
  
  • a table belonging to a specific kitchen
    
    • e.g., The kitchen in this picture has a table that is too large / This kitchen's table is too large.

• 
  
  • Cf. kitchen table
    
    • a table used in the kitchen

Can't thank you enough. You made things easy for me.

[maiabulela]

Excuse me, what "CF" stands for?

Thanks a lot.

[lauralie2]

Excuse me, what "CF" stands for?

Thanks a lot.

Cf. is an abbreviation for compare or compare with.

[~Mav~]

*** NOT A TEACHER ***

Excuse me, what does "CF" stands for?

Thanks a lot.

From the New Oxford American Dictionary:

abbr. compare with (used to refer a reader to another written work or another part of the same written work).
ORIGIN: from Latin confer ‘compare.’

PS: While I was writing my post, Lauralie submitted hers.