grammaticality - "A friend of Susan" vs. "a friend of Susan's"





Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with “friend of Peter”?



I'm currently having hot debates with a friend of mine about which one is more natural and more grammatically correct:




  • A friend of Susan

  • A friend of Susan's



I vote for the first, but I don't have anything to prove I'm right.



Answer



A friend of Susan’s is a double genitive, which has been a feature of English grammar for centuries, and it is the normal alternative to one of Susan’s friends. Just as most people would say a friend of mine, rather than a friend of me, so a friend of Susan’s, rather than a friend of Susan, would be the natural choice in most contexts.


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