TinyProf's Grammar Lesson 🎓

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1. What We're Solving

Can you write "my parents working so hard" (no possessive), or must it be "my parents' working so hard" (with possessive)? This question touches on a nuanced area of English grammar where rules can seem contradictory.

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2. The Approach

To untangle this, we need to understand why the possessive rule exists in the first place — because once you understand the reason, you'll see exactly what's happening with plural nouns and why the rule isn't as rigid as it first appears.

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3. Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Understand What a Gerund Actually Does

A gerund (like working) is a verb acting as a noun. In your sentence:

> "I was amazed by working"

The word working is the object of the preposition by. When we add parents in front of it, we're saying who is doing the working — that's the logical subject of the gerund.

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Step 2: Why Does the Possessive Rule Exist?

Here's the key insight! 💡

Grammarians who favor the possessive argue that since working is functioning as a noun, whatever modifies or "belongs to" it should be in possessive form — just like you'd say "my parents' behavior" (not "my parents behavior").

So formally: > ✅ "I was amazed by my parents' working so hard."

The possessive signals: "the working that belongs to/is performed by my parents."

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Step 3: The Plural Possessive Is Entirely Possible

The plural possessive parents' absolutely can be used. The apostrophe simply comes after the -s:

| Form | Example | Verdict | |------|---------|---------| | Singular possessive | my parent's working | ✅ Perfectly fine | | Plural possessive | my parents' working | ✅ Also perfectly fine! | | Plural objective | my parents working | ⚠️ See Step 4 |

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Step 4: So Is "My Parents Working" Wrong?

Grammar experts actually disagree on this point. There are two recognized constructions in English:

Construction A — The Gerund Phrase (formal): > "I was amazed by my parents' working so hard."

• working = noun (gerund)
• parents' = possessive modifier of that noun
• Preferred in formal writing ✍️

Construction B — The Participial Phrase (informal/common): > "I was amazed by my parents working so hard."

• parents = the true subject/object
• working = participle describing parents
• Very natural in everyday speech 🗣️

Linguists call the second version a "fused" construction — and it's widely accepted in modern English, especially in informal contexts.

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Step 5: How to Choose?

• Is this formal writing? → Use parents' working
• Is this everyday speech or informal writing? → parents working is perfectly natural
• Do you want zero ambiguity? → The possessive is always the "safe" choice

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4. The Answer

✅ Both constructions are grammatically defensible, but for different reasons:

• "my parents' working" = formally correct gerund construction
• "my parents working" = widely accepted participial/fused construction

The plural possessive parents' can absolutely be used. The apostrophe follows the -s: parents'.

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5. Memory Tip 🧠

Think of it this way:

> "The gerund is a noun, so treat its subject like a noun's owner!" > My parents' working = the working of my parents

And remember the possessive plural rule: > Singular → parent's | Plural → parents'

The apostrophe simply moves to the end — it doesn't disappear! 😊