Witness’s vs. Witness – Which is Correct?
Both “witness’s” and “witness” are correct, but they serve different grammatical purposes. “Witness” names a person who sees or testifies about something. “Witness’s” is its singular possessive form, showing that something belongs to one witness. Use the apostrophe before the s for ownership; use “witness” when no possession is intended.
Witness’s or Witness – Which is Correct?
Both witness and witness’s are correct American English words, but they are not interchangeable. Witness is usually a noun referring to someone who observes an event or gives testimony. It can also function as a verb meaning to see or experience something.
Witness’s is the singular possessive form of witness. It indicates that something belongs to, is associated with, or was said by one witness. For example, in “the witness’s statement,” the statement belongs to or comes from one witness.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use a simple ownership test: replace witness’s with of the witness. If the sentence still makes sense, the possessive form is probably correct. “The witness’s testimony” means “the testimony of the witness.” If you are simply naming the person, use witness: “The witness testified.”
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| witness | Noun or verb | A person who observes an event or the act of seeing something happen | The witness described the accident. |
| witness’s | Singular possessive noun | Belonging to or associated with one witness | The witness’s account was detailed. |
How to Use Witness
Use witness as a noun when referring to a person who sees an event, especially an accident, crime, ceremony, or legal proceeding. It can also mean a person who gives evidence in court. As a verb, witness means to see, observe, or experience something. The word is appropriate in casual, formal, academic, journalistic, and legal writing.
Example 1: A witness called the police after seeing the collision.
Example 2: The court heard testimony from an eyewitness.
Example 3: Millions of viewers witnessed the historic launch.
What Are the Different Forms of Witness?
As a noun, the plural form of witness is witnesses. The singular possessive is witness’s, while the plural possessive is witnesses’. As a regular verb, its forms include witnesses, witnessed, and witnessing.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| witness | One person or the base verb |
| witnesses | More than one witness or the third-person singular verb |
| witness’s | Something belonging to one witness |
| witnesses’ | Something belonging to multiple witnesses |
| witnessed | Past tense or past participle of the verb |
| witnessing | Present participle or gerund |
Etymology of the Word Witness
Witness comes from Old English witnes, meaning “knowledge,” “testimony,” or “evidence.” It is related to the Old English word witan, meaning “to know.” Over time, the word developed its modern meanings: a person with direct knowledge of an event and the act of observing or testifying.
How to Use Witness’s
Use witness’s when one witness owns, provides, makes, or is closely associated with the following noun. It is a singular possessive construction and commonly appears before words such as statement, testimony, account, identity, signature, and description.
Because witness ends in s, some style guides permit witness’ as an alternative singular possessive form. However, witness’s is the clearest and most widely recommended form in standard American English. Use witnesses’ when the possession belongs to two or more witnesses.
Example 1: The witness’s testimony helped establish the timeline.
Example 2: Investigators compared the witness’s description with the security footage.
Example 3: The lawyer questioned the witness’s memory of the event.
What Are the Different Forms of Witness’s?
Witness’s is not a separate base word; it is the singular possessive form of witness. The apostrophe and s show that one witness possesses or is connected to something. For more than one witness, use witnesses’, placing the apostrophe after the plural s.
Etymology of the Word Witness’s
Witness’s has the same historical origin as witness. The apostrophe marks possession, a grammatical feature that developed in English from older possessive endings. The added s after the apostrophe identifies the noun as singular in standard modern usage.
Related Concepts
Understanding nouns, possessives, and apostrophes makes the difference between witness and witness’s easier to recognize.
- Possessive nouns: A possessive noun shows ownership, connection, or association. In “the witness’s statement,” the statement is connected to one witness.
- Singular and plural nouns: A singular noun refers to one person or thing, while a plural noun refers to more than one. Compare “the witness’s notes” with “the witnesses’ notes.”
- Apostrophes: Apostrophes can mark possession or omitted letters. In witness’s, the apostrophe marks possession rather than a contraction.
- Homophones and near-homophones: Words that sound similar can create spelling mistakes, but witness and witness’s are mainly distinguished by their grammatical role and written apostrophe.
Examples from Media and Literature
The word forms appear frequently in legal reporting, fiction, biographies, documentaries, and descriptions of major public events.
- Crime reporting: A news report may refer to “the witness’s statement” when discussing one person’s account of an investigation.
- Courtroom drama: A screenplay might state, “The witness entered the courtroom,” using witness to identify the person.
- Mystery fiction: A detective story may examine “the witness’s recollection” as part of the investigation.
- Historical writing: A biography might say that readers can “witness” the leader’s changing views through personal letters.
- Sports journalism: A report may explain that spectators “witnessed” a record-breaking performance.
Witness Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Observer | A person who watches or notices an event |
| Eyewitness | A person who directly sees an event happen |
| Testifier | A person who gives testimony or evidence |
| Deponent | A person who gives sworn evidence, usually in a deposition |
| Spectator | A person who watches an event, performance, or activity |
Witness’s Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Of the witness | A phrase expressing possession or association with one witness |
| Belonging to the witness | A phrase showing that something belongs to one witness |
| Provided by the witness | A phrase identifying information or evidence supplied by one witness |
| Associated with the witness | A phrase showing a connection to one witness |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “witness’s” grammatically correct?
Yes. Witness’s is the standard singular possessive form of witness. It means “belonging to one witness” or “associated with one witness.”
Question 2: Should I write “the witness’s testimony” or “the witness testimony”?
Write the witness’s testimony when referring to the testimony of one witness. In some contexts, witness testimony may function as a noun phrase, but it does not specifically mark possession.
Question 3: What is the plural possessive form of “witness”?
The plural of witness is witnesses. The plural possessive is witnesses’, as in “the witnesses’ accounts.”
Question 4: Is “witness’” also correct?
Some style guides accept witness’ as a singular possessive because the noun already ends in s. Nevertheless, witness’s is generally clearer and is the preferred form in standard American English.
Conclusion
Witness names a person who observes or testifies, while witness’s shows that something belongs to or is associated with one witness. Use the ownership test by substituting “of the witness.” For polished professional writing, choose the form that matches the sentence’s grammatical purpose, and use witness’s consistently for singular possession.
