Kitty Maitland, a friend of Laura('s) and a party guest

Kitty Maitland, a friend of Laura('s) and a party guest, is....

Is the possessive case necessary in the above sentence?

If LAURA is replaced by HER, then we must say a friend of hers.

May I have your opinion?

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Originally Posted by nelson13

Kitty Maitland, a friend of Laura('s) and a party guest, is....

Is the possessive case necessary in the above sentence?

If LAURA is replaced by HER, then we must say a friend of hers.

May I have your opinion?

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Yes, it's necessary.

Yes but we should explain to our students that this is idiom, an exception to grammar. A friend of me or or a friend of Laura may well appear to them to to be correct, rather than a friend of mine or a friend of Laura's.

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Originally Posted by probus

Yes but we should explain to our students that this is idiom, an exception to grammar. A friend of me or or a friend of Laura may well appear to them to to be correct, rather than a friend of mine or a friend of Laura's.

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How about this one on(or in?) wiki?(somehow I don't like a capital letter W):

As a young man in Corinth, Oedipus hears a rumour that he is not the biological son of Polybus and his wife Merope.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nelson13

As a young man in Corinth, Oedipus hears a rumour that he is not the biological son of Polybus and his wife Merope.

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That's fine.

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Originally Posted by 5jj

That's fine.

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Does it mean if the phrase is a Y of Z, we should add 's to make it a Y of Z's; but for the Y of Z, we shouldn't?