Cheryl Norman, Grammar Cop :-)

Here’s a question from my mailbox: Is it ones duty OR one’s duty?

I understand the reasoning behind the question. As I repeatedly preach, there is no apostrophe with a possessive pronoun (which few people seem to get, given the proliferation of “it’s” for “its” in road signs, notices, etc.). The question here seems to be whether “one” is or is not a pronoun.

The possessive pronouns are: my, yours, ours, theirs, his, hers, and its. (Notice the absence of apostrophes) One, however, is not a pronoun. Hence, the correct usage is one’s duty.

Your comments are welcome here, and your grammar questions are welcome at grammar@cherylnorman.com. I’ll get you an answer as soon as I can.

Cheryl