Need some help. Can someone please tell the proper use of the word "supply’s (ies) " in the below sentence.
"As mentioned, ABC Company supply’s various grades of products, including running steel, ore, and gold.”
"As mentioned, ABC Company supply’s various grades of products, including running steel, ore, and gold.”
Roger, this is the correct form of supply in this context.
Kitos.
‘Supply’ is used as a verb here, so it turns into ‘supplies’.
It’s also ‘supplies’ when it is used as the plural of the noun ‘supply’.
The only time you say ‘supply’s’ is when you talk of say the ‘supply’s origin’ (the origin of the supply).
There’s an obvious contradiction between you two here. I’d maintain Andrea’s view.
Contradiction is my middle-name today.
In the US, supplies would be the correct spelling in that sentence.
Supply’s can be used as the possessive form of the noun “supply” – or possibly as a contraction of “supply is” or “supply has” in spoken English.
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[size=92]History is a race between education and catastrophe. ~ H.G. Wells[/size]
" He supply’s our supplies.
To supply, is to deliver or provide.
Supplies are the articles delivered.
That’ll do for me.
Kitos.
Sorry ESL, " supply has" doesn’t ring true, other than, “The supply has ended…”
Are you claiming that supply’s is considered the correct spelling in the UK for the third person singular form of the verb supply, Kitosdad?
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[size=92]“The English have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it. They spell it so abominably that no man can teach himself what it sounds like. It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him. German and Spanish are accessible to foreigners: English is not accessible even to Englishmen.” ~ G.B. Shaw[/size] 
I have looked up several dictionaries now, and in everyone it is supplies for the third person singular.
And what about the third person plural? ------ They ( the company) supply.
Bill.
ESL, I’m not claiming anything. Just stating my opinion, but at least I am not averse to saying I could be wrong.
It’s an opinion, not carved in stone!
Kitos.
Forgive me, but it is:
It (the company) supplies.
If you really want to say they:
They (the companies) supply.
or perhaps:
They (the owners of the company) supply.
I agree with you, Shyone.
Well, I don’t know that I’d have chosen that particular sentence as an example, Kitosdad, but that’s the idea. The word “has” in the present perfect simple and in the present perfect continuous is often contracted ('s) in spoken English. Thus, you might possibly hear someone say “supply’s” as a contraction of “supply has” in spoken English:
- Our supply’s been dwindling at an alarming pace. [size=92](has been dwindling = present perfect continuous)[/size]
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[size=84]The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it.[/size]
" The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it."
Ain’t that the truth!
I would love to hear this argued in a court of law. 
Is " it " the company, or are " they " the owners, the company.
When X is a noun, I will consider " X’s " as a possessive adjective.
When X is a pronoun, " X’s ’ may have the form of “X is”, “X was” or “X has”.
Does the word “supply’s” in the above sentence have the 5th form which is equivalent to “supplies” and acts as the principal verb in the sentence.
If yes, then there is not conflict between Bill and Andrea.
If no, could anyone tell me what the PRINCIPAL VERB of the sentence is ?
Thanks a lot !
If with ‘principal verb’ you mean the base verb, it is ‘to supply’.
Thanks Andrea,
But I am still wondering whether “supply’s” and “supplies” are interchangeable otherwise there will be no base verb in the original sentence.
May be Bill can clarify further.
Nick*
I have searched several dictionaries, just to be sure to be sure, and I have not found one case where supply’s could be used in this context.
You can say: ‘The supply’s origin is in…(the origin of the supply is in…)’.
But I’m certain that you can’t say: ‘The company supply’s tinned food’ if you want to say that the company is selling it.