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In a SU topic about computer viruses I wanted to write a sentence starting with something like The ability of a virus to.... So I started writing A viruse's ability to... and realized that viruse's doesn't seem quite right. Nor does viruss' or anything else I can come up with. What is the proper way to write this word in this context?

Vilx-
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    It's virus's. The word follows standard rules: if it's a singular word (virus) add *'s*; for a plural (viruses) just add the apostrophe. – Andrew Leach Jul 01 '13 at 10:24
  • @AndrewLeach - Thank you! I thought it was something as simple! :) If you care to make it an answer please, I could accept it. :) – Vilx- Jul 01 '13 at 10:32
  • What's an "SU topic"? – TrevorD Jul 01 '13 at 10:49
  • @TrevorD - SuperUser.com. It's one of the three sites (SO - StackOverflow, SF - ServerFault.com, SU - SuperUser.com) that started the StackExchange (SE) series. – Vilx- Jul 01 '13 at 14:06

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It's virus’s. The word follows standard rules: if it’s a singular word (virus) add ’s; for a plural (viruses) just add the apostrophe.

The standard argument about using a periphrastic phrase for inanimate objects does not hold universally. One is just as likely to say “That car’s headlight is damaged” as “The headlight of that car is damaged”, and in fact the former may be more likely.

Andrew Leach
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  • The 'standard rules' are discussed, and authorities supporting them, and authorities supporting amended versions, are given at http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080430042517AA0CldP . – Edwin Ashworth Jul 01 '13 at 11:11