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Car keys

Question
Car keys
Answer

Sometimes a noun is used to modify another noun.

Payman asks:

Do you say car key, car's key or the key of the car? What's the rule for possessives?

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In this case, a common idiomatic answer is car keys:

Jim is looking for his car keys.

I keep my car keys on a hook near the door.

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One also says, simply, keys to (my, your, etc.) car:

He tossed the keys to his car on the table.

Give me the keys to your car and I'll move it.

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There are many examples of this kind of construction:

hair brush, coffee cup, bus driver

When one noun is used to modify another noun, it's called an attributive use.

 

 

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