When names end with the letter “S,” like “Charles,” it creates an interesting problem when figuring out the possessive form. This article will look at whether “Charles'” or “Charles’s” is the correct possessive form for the name and how we can tell the difference.
Charles’ Or Charles’s: Which Is The Correct Possessive Form?
“Charles'” is the correct possessive form according to the Associated Press Stylebook, which is the most common style taught in schools. “Charles’s” is the correct possessive form according to the Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style, which is adopted by a majority of speakers.
It might help you to see which of the two variations is used more commonly. Even though the AP Style of “Charles'” is taught at most schools, you might be surprised by what the statistics show.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “Charles’s” is the most popular choice for English writers to use. This shows that the Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style are the preferred choices for writing names in the possessive form.
When To Use Charles’
“Charles'” is the correct form when following the Associated Press Stylebook. According to AP rules, the “S” after the apostrophe is unnecessary and dropped to aid readability. This only applies to names that end with the letter “S.”
To show the possessive form, you would usually include an apostrophe and an “S.” However, with names that end in “S,” we do not need to follow these rules as tightly because we want to try and make the sentence as clear as possible.
Examples of Charles’
To show you how it looks in practice, you can look through these examples:
- Charles’ father was here just a moment ago.
- Charles’ day is about to get a whole lot worse!
- Charles’ family is happy to take you in for the weekend.
- Charles’ girlfriend told me that she doesn’t love him anymore.
- Where is Charles’ good fortune now?
“Charles'” is the possessive form, which we use when “Charles” is in ownership of an object in the sentence. The noun comes directly after “Charles” to show what he is in possession of.
When To Use Charles’s
“Charles’s” appears to be the more popular choice for most writers, so we thought we’d talk a little bit about why that is.
“Charles’s” is correct according to the Microsoft Manual of Style and the Chicago Manual of Style. If you write in either of those styles, then any name ending with “S” needs another “S” after the apostrophe.
We use this more because it helps with comprehension. Sometimes, it’s easy for a reader to miss the apostrophe in the AP style, meaning that they won’t realize that something is the possessive form.
- Charles’s guitar
- Charles’ guitar
As you can see, including the double “S” ending is much easier when understanding that this is the possessive form.
Examples of Charles’s
Don’t worry; if you’re still unsure how it works, we’ve got the examples to share with you.
- I’d like to strum Charles’s guitar when he’s not paying attention!
- This is supposed to be Charles’s big day, and you’ve taken it away from him.
- Where are Charles’s allies now?
- We are not here to sing Charles’s praise.
- Charles’s mother is on the other end of the pier.
“Charles’s” works when we want to clarify that this is the possessive form. The double “S” makes it much clearer in all cases.
Is There A Preference For Using Charles’ or Charles’s In US vs. UK?
You might be wondering if there’s an obvious difference between “Charles'” and “Charles’s” when we look closer at different language types. We’ve gathered data for both UK and US English, and we’ll show you which form is more popular in each.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “Charles’s” is the more popular choice in US English.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “Charles’s” is also the more popular choice in UK English.
Clearly, “Charles’s” is the best choice in both languages. The Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style offer “Charles’s” as the preferred option, which seems to be adopted by most native speakers in their writing.
Final Thoughts
While both possessive forms are correct, it depends entirely on the style of your writing. For the most part, “Charles’s” is the best option, as it will appeal to more native speakers and will be much easier to read. It works best in the Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style.
You may also like: Ines’ Or Ines’s? Here’s The Possessive Form (Helpful Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
