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Thread: Banana English

  1. #1
    Sambodia is offline Newbie
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    Default Banana English

    Hello!
    In the Sentence Block exercise of Bananaenglish, there is this sentence:

    -The new optician's next to the bank will open next friday.

    I don't understand why there is an apostrophe in the word optician.

    Please explain

    Sambodia

  2. #2
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    JohnParis is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Hello Sambodia

    There is an apostrophe in "optician'" because it's indicating something possessive. By using "optician's" in the sentence, it is understood that the optician's store, or clinic, or perhaps his office is next to the bank and will open next Friday.

    John
    PS: Do not worry that you are confused by this - so are many native speakers. Also, what's with the title Banana English?
    Last edited by JohnParis; 08-Oct-2011 at 16:30.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Not a teacher.

    I was taught that this possessive genitive-s is used after „at” and "to" plus shops/businesses and people’s places:

    I went to the doctor’s [surgery].
    He bought it at the baker’s [shop].
    Jack should go to the hairdresser’s [salon].
    We went to Aunty Mary’s [place] for dinner.
    She stayed at her sister’s [place] over the Easter break.

    The […] is implied.

  4. #4
    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Quote Originally Posted by JohnParis View Post
    Also, what's with the title Banana English?
    There is a site called English Banana

  5. #5
    Sambodia is offline Newbie
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Thank you for your helpful replies
    Sambodia

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Because no one has pointed this out, I want to make sure you know that "Friday" should have a capital F.
    Tdol likes this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  7. #7
    JohnParis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Banana English

    Sorry everyone - I thought I edited that at 18h30.

    John

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