Understanding “Friday’s,” “Fridays’,” and “Fridays”: A Simple Guide

When it comes to grammar, one of the trickiest aspects can be understanding possessive forms. A common confusion arises with the terms Friday’s, Fridays’, and Fridays. These subtle differences can significantly impact clarity in business communication, social invitations, and even personal reminders.

In this article, we’ll explore these terms, providing clear examples and practical scenarios to help you understand when and how to use them correctly.

What Are Possessive Forms?

Before diving into Friday’s, Fridays’, and Fridays, let’s first review the basic concept of possessive forms in English grammar. A possessive form indicates ownership or association with something. In the case of singular and plural possessives, the rules are slightly different.

• Singular possessive: For most singular nouns, you add an apostrophe and an “s” to indicate possession. For example, John’s book means the book belonging to John.
• Plural possessive: For plural nouns, the rule changes. If the plural noun ends in “s,” you just add an apostrophe. If it does not end in “s,” you add an apostrophe and an “s.” For example, the students’ books (books belonging to the students) vs. the children’s toys (toys belonging to the children).

Now that we have a basic understanding of possessive forms, let’s take a closer look at Friday’s, Fridays’, and Fridays.

Friday’s: The Singular Possessive

The term Friday’s refers to something that belongs to or is associated with Friday—the singular, specific day of the week. This could refer to an event, item, or occasion related to Friday. Think of it like a personal reminder about an activity that happens every Friday or an item tied to this particular day.

Example 1: Friday’s Team Lunch

Imagine a team at a company having a team lunch every Friday. In this case, you might write a reminder email to the team about the event.

Email Example:

Subject: Reminder: Friday’s Team Lunch

Hi Team,

Just a quick reminder about Friday’s team lunch. We’ll meet at noon in the break room. Don’t forget to bring your appetites!

See you there,
Sarah

In this scenario, Friday’s team lunch refers to the team lunch that happens on a specific Friday, indicating that the lunch is associated with that particular day.

Example 2: Friday’s Project Updates

Suppose you have a regular meeting where the team shares project updates every Friday. In this case, Friday’s project updates would refer to the updates scheduled for that particular Friday.

Email Example:

Subject: Friday’s Project Updates

Dear Alex,

As usual, we’ll have Friday’s project updates at 10 AM in the conference room. Please make sure to bring the latest stats on the client project.

Best regards,
Kate

Here, the apostrophe in Friday’s shows that the project updates are linked to this particular Friday.

Fridays’: The Plural Possessive

The term Fridays’ refers to something that belongs to or is associated with Fridays—the plural form of the day. When you refer to multiple Fridays, you’re talking about weekly events or occurrences that happen on Fridays.

Example 1: Fridays’ Celebrations

Let’s say there are celebrations held every Friday at a company. You could refer to them as Fridays’ celebrations, implying that the celebrations happen on multiple Fridays.

Email Example:

Subject: Fridays’ Celebrations

Hello Team,

We’re excited to continue our Fridays’ celebrations this week. We’ll have snacks and music to help you unwind after the week. Don’t miss it!

Cheers,
Laura

In this example, Fridays’ celebrations refers to the recurring celebration every Friday, so the apostrophe is placed after the s because we are referring to multiple Fridays.

Example 2: Fridays’ Weekly Gatherings

For a social group that meets every Friday, you might refer to the Fridays’ weekly gatherings. This highlights the recurring nature of the event over several weeks.

Example:

Subject: Join Us for Fridays’ Weekly Gatherings

Hey everyone,

Don’t forget about our Fridays’ weekly gatherings at the café. We’ve been having a great turnout, and this week we’re focusing on a new topic. Hope to see you there!

Best,
John

Here, Fridays’ weekly gatherings indicates that these gatherings happen on multiple Fridays.

Fridays: The Plural Noun

When you see Fridays without an apostrophe, it simply refers to the days of the week themselves—Fridays as a plural noun, rather than indicating possession.

Example 1: Regular Events on Fridays

If you have regular events scheduled every Friday, you can refer to these as Fridays.

Example:

Subject: Regular Events on Fridays

Hi Team,

Just a reminder that we have regular events on Fridays. The team check-in is at 9 AM, followed by the weekly brainstorming session at noon.

Regards,
Alex

In this case, Fridays refers simply to the day of the week without showing possession. It’s just indicating that events happen on Fridays.

Example 2: Planning Events on Fridays

Maybe you’re planning a series of events on Fridays. This could refer to different types of events that will be happening each Friday without any specific possession.

Example:

Subject: Planning Events on Fridays

Hello,

We are in the process of planning events on Fridays. If you have any suggestions or ideas for the upcoming weeks, please let me know!

Thanks,
Sarah

Here, Fridays simply refers to the days of the week when the events will take place.

Clear Communication in Business and Social Settings

Understanding the correct use of Friday’s, Fridays’, and Fridays is essential for clear communication. Whether you’re sending an email invitation, providing project updates, or planning events for your team, using the correct possessive form helps avoid confusion.

Email Communication Tips:

1. Be concise: Don’t overcomplicate your message. Use the correct possessive form to convey your point quickly.
2. Check for accuracy: Always proofread to ensure that you’re using the correct singular possessive or plural possessive when appropriate.
3. Set reminders: Use personal reminders to keep everyone on track for recurring events, like Friday’s team lunch or Fridays’ celebrations.

Table: A Quick Reference Guide

Term	Meaning	Example
Friday’s	Singular possessive (belonging to one Friday)	Friday’s project updates
Fridays’	Plural possessive (belonging to multiple Fridays)	Fridays’ weekly gatherings
Fridays	Plural noun (the days themselves)	Regular events on Fridays

Conclusion

By understanding the nuances of Friday’s, Fridays’, and Fridays, you can make sure your business communication and social invitations are precise and effective. Whether you’re reminding a team about Friday’s project updates or planning celebrations on Fridays, using the correct form is essential to clear communication. The key is remembering when to use the singular possessive (Friday’s), the plural possessive (Fridays’), and the simple plural form (Fridays) to make your writing accurate and engaging. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll always get your message across clearly.