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Thread: block of flats’ communal garden

  1. #1
    Quang Hai is offline Junior Member
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    Default block of flats’ communal garden

    I am reading W. Trevor. short-story.
    'Yes, that key had been Margy’s, Francesca said. Left for her under a stone at the foot of a hydrangea bush in Pimlico, in a block of flats’ communal garden: she didn’t add that'

    Please could someone help me out in meaning of the underlined words. Thanks.

  2. #2
    SoothingDave is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: block of flats’ communal garden

    Which word is giving you trouble?

    Apparently, there is an open area in the middle of a group of apartment buildings.
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  3. #3
    bhaisahab's Avatar
    bhaisahab is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: block of flats’ communal garden

    Quote Originally Posted by Quang Hai View Post
    I am reading W. Trevor. short-story.
    'Yes, that key had been Margy’s, Francesca said. Left for her under a stone at the foot of a hydrangea bush in Pimlico, in a block of flats’ communal garden: she didn’t add that'

    Please could someone help me out in meaning of the underlined words. Thanks.
    A garden shared by the residents of a block of flats (apartment block).
    Quang Hai likes this.

  4. #4
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    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: block of flats’ communal garden

    Quang Hai's difficulty may be with the placing of the apostrophe. Such phrases as those I have written below are correct in English, but may seem strange to learners. It's the word I have put in bold, not the one with the 's, that is the 'possessor':

    The King of Spain's daughter ....
    The President of America's wife ...
    The block of flat's garden ...

    There can sometimes be ambiguity:The sister of my neighbour's husband is sloppy. It could mean The sister of [my neighbour's husband] or [The sister of my neighbour]'s husband
    SoothingDave and bhaisahab like this.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


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