colleagues's

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'colleagues's' is not correct or usable in written English.
The correct form of the word is "colleagues" without the apostrophe. You can use the word "colleagues" to refer to people you work with or collaborate with in a professional setting. For example: "My colleagues and I are working on a project together." "I went out to lunch with my colleagues from the office today." "My colleagues at work are very supportive and helpful."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In that attack, a member of the Afghan Local Police crushed sleeping pills in his colleagues's food at a command post, Afghan officials say.

The New York Times

But the British Medical Association BMAA) reassured patients that care will be safe on strike days because consultants will undertake junior colleagues's roles.

The Guardian

"We regularly pick up our colleagues's stories, including Mediapart's.

Vice

It was not until May 1 that he circulated a memorandum to his colleagues's chambers, indicating that he would join Brennan's bloc, in support of affirmative action and the university's program.

Wikipedia

Lopez Delgado and colleagues's study provides further arguments for an early follow-up of survivors of AKI by nephrologists.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

My colleague's head nearly exploded, too.

The New York Times

A colleague's dinner party?

The New York Times

Mr. Schwartz praised his former colleague's attention to detail.

The New York Times

Our colleague's article also suggests Textbookrentals.com and Collegebookrenter.com.

The New York Times

N., a colleague's girlfriend, came with me.

The New York Times - Magazine

NAME WITHHELD I'm sympathetic to your colleague's position.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always double-check the placement of the apostrophe when indicating possession, especially with plural nouns like "colleagues". If multiple colleagues own something collectively, the correct form is "colleagues'". If something belongs to a single colleague, use "colleague's".

Common error

A common mistake is using "colleagues's" when trying to indicate possession by multiple colleagues. This form is grammatically incorrect. Remember that the correct plural possessive form is "colleagues'", while "colleague's" indicates singular possession.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "colleagues's" attempts to denote possession by colleagues, but it is grammatically incorrect. The correct possessive form for a plural noun like "colleagues" is "colleagues'" or, for a singular noun, "colleague's". As Ludwig AI notes, this phrase is not usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "colleagues's" is grammatically incorrect. The correct plural possessive is "colleagues'", while "colleague's" denotes singular possession. As Ludwig AI points out, this form should be avoided in writing. To properly indicate relationships involving colleagues, consider using "colleagues'", "of my colleagues", or rephrasing to avoid the possessive form altogether. Remember to check the placement of apostrophes carefully to ensure grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

colleagues'

Corrects the grammatical error by placing the apostrophe after the 's' to denote possession by multiple colleagues.

colleague's

Changes the phrase to singular possessive, referring to the possession of a single colleague.

of my colleagues

Rephrases the phrase to use 'of' to indicate a relationship or belonging to colleagues.

belonging to my colleagues

Elaborates on the relationship, explicitly stating that something belongs to the colleagues.

shared by my colleagues

Focuses on shared attributes or possessions among colleagues.

from my colleagues

Indicates origin or derivation from colleagues.

attributed to my colleagues

Highlights work or ideas attributed to colleagues.

colleagues' work

Simplifies the phrase to directly refer to the work done by colleagues.

colleagues' ideas

Simplifies the phrase to directly reference the ideas of colleagues.

our coworkers'

Replaces "colleagues" with the synonym "coworkers" and utilizes the correct possessive form.

FAQs

What is the correct way to show possession for multiple colleagues?

The correct way to show possession for multiple colleagues is to use "colleagues'". For example, "the "colleagues' opinions"" reflects the collective view.

What is the difference between "colleague's" and "colleagues'"?

"Colleague's" indicates that something belongs to one colleague, while "colleagues'" indicates that something belongs to multiple colleagues. For instance, "colleague's advice" vs. "colleagues' suggestions".

Can I use "colleagues's" to indicate possession?

No, "colleagues's" is grammatically incorrect. To show possession by multiple colleagues, use "colleagues'". To show possession by a single colleague, use "colleague's".

What are some alternatives to "colleagues'" for showing joint ownership?

Alternatives include using phrases like "of my colleagues", "belonging to the colleagues", or simply rephrasing to avoid the possessive altogether. For instance, instead of "colleagues' project", you could say "project of my colleagues".