Which possessive form correctly indicates joint ownership for two surnames Garcia and Smith?

Which possessive form correctly indicates joint ownership for two surnames Garcia and Smith?

• A. Garcias and Smith's
• B. Garcias' and Smith's
• C. Garcia's and Smiths
• D. Garcia's and Smith's

Answer: (D)

When two people share ownership, show that both have a stake by giving each name its own possessive. Garcia's and Smith's makes it clear that both Garcia and Smith possess the item together, without implying that only one person or a plural version of a name owns it. The other forms misrepresent the ownership: using Garcias would wrongly pluralize Garcia, or applying the possessive to only one name, or treating Smith as a plural rather than a possessive, all of which create ambiguity about who owns what. Garcia's and Smith's is the correct way to indicate joint ownership for two individuals.

When two people share ownership, show that both have a stake by giving each name its own possessive. Garcia's and Smith's makes it clear that both Garcia and Smith possess the item together, without implying that only one person or a plural version of a name owns it. The other forms misrepresent the ownership: using Garcias would wrongly pluralize Garcia, or applying the possessive to only one name, or treating Smith as a plural rather than a possessive, all of which create ambiguity about who owns what. Garcia's and Smith's is the correct way to indicate joint ownership for two individuals.