Student Stumper 44: Why do people make a word like “today” possessive?

Question: We can say today’s lesson, so when is it correct to use the possessive with inanimate objects? Answer: In this case, a learner was already aware that nouns don’t have to refer to a human to be possessive. The big question isn’t really why, but rather when? When is it okay to make nouns…

Student Stumper 9: My friend v. a friend of mine

QUESTION: I heard someone say a friend of mine. Is this different from my friend? ANSWER:  They could be seen as synonymous structures. Couldn’t we introduce a friend both ways? I’d like you to meet my friend, Bill. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Bill. However, if we take the time to…

LOST AND FOUND: A communicative game to practice expressing possession

This activity puts a spin on a game that may already be familiar to you. Level: High beginner – low intermediate Language targeted: possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns, AND/OR possessive nouns Objective: To identify what belongs to whom in the class (To illustrate, I’ll target possessive adjectives and possessive nouns. You can modify the language to…