Social Question

Dutchess_III's avatar

What is the right way to spell "else's"?

Asked by Dutchess_III (46841points) March 15th, 2015

“It is somebody else’s problem.”

Spell check tells me “elses” and “else’s are both wrong so I just default to the possessive ‘s. So what’s up with that?

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6 Answers

Kropotkin's avatar

“Else’s” is correct.

elbanditoroso's avatar

@Kropotkin has it right.

The problem belongs to someone else. And the way that we show possession in American English is with the apostrophe – S. British English may have different customs.

gailcalled's avatar

Exactly the same as “It is somebody’s problem.”

Kropotkin's avatar

@gailcalled That has a different nuance to me. If it’s merely “someone’s problem”, that someone could still be you!

gailcalled's avatar

Not referring to nuanced meaning but only the issue of the apostrophe.

Stinley's avatar

“It’s someone else’s problem” is correct in UK English also

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