Grammar Help Needed.

[ruggief]

Ordering a sign for my son James. Its going to say Games Room. Lots of arguing about the apostrophe. Should it be James' Games Room or James's Games Room?

[dannyk13]

James's

[Canary42]

James's

[Etch]

Yep, James's

[Atheist]

I'd say technically optional; probably cheaper to omit the second 'S'.

[MargoTester]

https://www.sitepoint.com/4-simple-things-to-remember-about-apostrophes/
Some rules here

[Jackdaw33]

Much discussion over this in the past. Either is fine but my preference would be for James'.

[Prudie]

Unlike everyone else in my world James' is correct as the things belonging to James are plural.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Just put Man Cave saves all the hassle

[Atheist]

Prudie, I disagree with your explanation, although I don't think your suggestion of James' is wrong.

[pixie374]

Means the same thing... whichever you prefer.

[pixie374]

Games' room? Lol

[Etch]

Surely James' would imply "belonging to more than one Jame" - so not the same thing at all ;-)

[bobbinwales]

prudie, theres only one James though. You'd say the man's dogs when theres more than one dog

[Prudie]

From the punctuation guide:
The possessive of a plural noun is formed by adding only an apostrophe when the noun ends in s, and by adding both an apostrophe and s when it ends in a letter other than s.

[bobbinwales]

Theres no set rule for James though-say as St Thomas's /St Thomas' , and there are schools called St James's and St James'.
Better to put James's as thats what you'd say IMO but we do say Jesus' rathe rthan Jesus's so as it's christmas.....
If your worried about visitors think you've got it wrong then putting something else like Games Room. James. or call him Jim!

[THECORBYLOON]

I would write, "James'..." regardless of the number as the word ends in an "s".

I have also seen words ending in "x" followed by an apostrophe, presumably because they sound like they end in an "s".

[Atheist]

Prudie, but Jams is not a plural.

[bobbinwales]

Its not a plural noun though Prudie- theres only one James. Now if ruggief has 2 boys called James....

[bhg481]

James' is the current preferred option, although I prefer James's. I attended St James's School as a boy (it's carved into the stone on the building). I now notice that the painted board at the entrance has St James' School.

[Canary42]

Technically, James' implies there is more than one Jame and the room belongs to them all. But I do accept it looks better than the s's termination.

There is an argument that says James is the name of the room (like Games) and requires no apostrophe - this option often used in street names, etc. (e.g. Albert Square, George Street)