students' vs student's

[oloekis]

She has developed skills in identifying problems from constantly analyzing student’s/students' language use.


Hi, what is the factor in this sentence that determines the plurality if she has taught numerous students for a long period but taught one student at a time?

 

[shop-englishx]

student’s language use. = One student
students' language use. = More than one student.

Wait for a native speaker.

 

[Cenzontle]

student’s language use. = One student
students' language use. = More than one student.

 

[oloekis]

Well I am aware of that. What confuses me is whether I can use both, without making any grammatical error when the context suggests both.

 

[Parla]

Your sentence should use the plural, students'.

If you want to say that she analyzes them one by one, then say each student's.

 

[oloekis]

Hi Parla,

If the sentence uses students', what are the meanings that can be deduced from it?

 

[Cenzontle]

"analyzing students' language use" = analyzing the use of language by some number of students (greater than one).
"analyzing student’s language use" Even with apostrophe-s, that (singular) "student" needs a determiner in front: "each student's...", "the student's...", etc.

 

[oloekis]

"analyzing students' language use" = analyzing the use of language by some number of students (greater than one).
"analyzing student’s language use" Even with apostrophe-s, that (singular) "student" needs a determiner in front: "each student's...", "the student's...", etc.

Thanks for the reply! Is this a fixed rule that only singular noun requires a determiner? The plural noun here, students, doesn't need a determiner as well?

 

[heypresto]

No, the plural would need a determiner ('the') if you are talking about a specific set of students.

If, for instance, she had been analysing the language of one particular class, or school, we would write ' . . . analysing the students' language use'.