FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Fun Trivia
Home: Questions and Answers Forum
Answers to 100,000 Fascinating Questions
Welcome to FunTrivia's Question & Answer forum!

Search All Questions


Please cite any factual claims with citation links or references from authoritative sources. Editors continuously recheck submissions and claims.

Archived Questions

Goto Qn #


Which is the correct grammar? Cows' milk or cows milk or cow's milk?

Question #132954. Asked by Plodd.
Last updated Oct 19 2013.
Originally posted Oct 19 2013 7:59 AM.

Related Trivia Topics: Animals   Food & Drink  
avatar
glenola star
Answer has 5 votes
glenola star avatar

Answer has 5 votes.
I think it's cow's milk. Depends on sentence structure, if cow is plural it would be cows' milk.

Oct 19 2013, 8:25 AM
avatar
Baloo55th star
Answer has 6 votes
Baloo55th star
22 year member
4545 replies avatar

Answer has 6 votes.
If it's the milk of one particular cow it would be "the cow's milk". If it's the milk of cows in general (as opposed to ewes or goats, it would be "cow's milk" - non-domesticated milks would be like "aardvard milk" without the possessive 's. If it's the milk of a particular group of cows already referred to by the speaker or writer, it would be "the cows' milk". This could be in reference to yields on a certain farm, or disasters (or marketing opportunities...) like the cows turning green, but their milk turning pink.

"Cow milk" would be OK, but not "cows milk" (no apostrophe) unless one was saying "green cows milk easier in the morning than in the evening", where milk is used as a verb.

Oct 19 2013, 9:05 AM
odo5435
Answer has 8 votes
Currently Best Answer
odo5435
13 year member
157 replies

Answer has 8 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
All are correct. The use of the apostrophe is determined by quite specific (and controversial) rules. As with all grammar correct usage changes over time, but currently:

1.) Alphonse and Gertrude Cows own the largest dairy in the area. The Cows' milk is considered to be the best in the country.


2.) It's widely known that cows milk is one of the best sources for calcium.

3.) Q. Which cow in your dairy produces the best milk? A. That cow's milk is the best.

It's important to understand that the apostrophe (and its correct usage) has been an important part of English that has allowed the language to evolve in ways that's restricted the development of other, less flexible, languages. I've tried to explain this to my mate's friends but they'll never accept that I've a valid point of view. I'll keep banging my head against the wall 'cause I know I'm right.

link http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/tp/GuideApostrophe.htm

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostrophe#Superfluous_apostrophes_.28.22greengrocers.27_apostrophes.22.29

link http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

Oct 19 2013, 9:48 AM
avatar
bloomsby star
Answer has 8 votes
bloomsby star
Moderator
24 year member
584 replies avatar

Answer has 8 votes.
If one is simply talking about the kind of milk produced by cows, as opposed to goats, for example, it is perfectly possible in English to treat cow (and goat) as adjectives and refer to 'cow milk' and 'goat milk'. This is standard usage. (See Baloo55th above).

Oct 19 2013, 10:34 AM
free email trivia FREE! Get a new mixed Fun Trivia quiz each day in your email. It's a fun way to start your day!


arrow Your Email Address:

Sign in or Create Free User ID to participate in the discussion

Related FunTrivia Quizzes

play quiz "Milk" - the Life and Times of Harvey Milk
(Milk)
play quiz Milk
(Milk)
play quiz First You Milk Your Cow ...
(Cheeses and Dairy Products)

Return to FunTrivia
"Ask FunTrivia" strives to offer the best answers possible to trivia questions. We ask our submitters to thoroughly research questions and provide sources where possible. Feel free to post corrections or additions. This is server B184.