Subscribe (RSS)Case denotes the relation of a noun or a pronoun to other words in a sentence.
In English, there are three cases:
Note
The nominative case is also called the subjective case.
The possessive case is also called the genitive case.
English nouns have exactly the same form in the nominative and the objective case. The possessive case of nouns is marked in written English by adding ‘s or s’ to the noun. English pronouns have different forms for each case.
The Nominative Case
Nouns and pronouns in the nominative case, also called the subjective case, are used as the subjects of a clauses.
For example
George speaks.
The door was shut.
Nouns in the nominative case may be used:
- as the subject of a clause.
- to repeat and further identify the subject.
- independent of any other word.
For example
In the sentences:
Peter was an apostle.
Peter is the subject and in the nominative case.
In the sentence:
The stars are suns.
the stars is the subjects and in the nominative case.
In the sentence:
Milton, the poet, was blind.
the poet repeats and identifies the subject and is in the nominative case.
In the sentence:
It was John, the beloved disciple
the beloved disciple repeats and identifies the subject and is in the nominative case.
In the sentence:
Henry, attend to your studies.
Henry is an independent word. It identifies the understood you that is the subject of the lause.
In the sentence:
It was John, the beloved disciple.
the beloved disciple repeats and identifies the subject and is in the nominative case.
In the sentence:
Mary, are you ready?
Mary is an independent word. It identifies the understood you that is the subject of the clause.
The Possessive Case
The possessive case is also called the genitive case. The possessive case denotes the relation of property or possession. In English, possession is shown by the use of the possessive case of a noun or pronoun or by the use of a prepositional phase beginning with of.
For example
The fact that David owns a harp is shown by
David’s harp
or
the harp of David.
The possessive singular of nouns is regularly formed by adding an apostrophe (‘) and the letter s to the nominative.
For example
man’s fate
David’s songs
When the plural noun ends in s, the apostrophe (‘) only is added.
For example
boys’ bicycles
ladies’ careers
Both an apostrophe (‘) and an s are added when the plural ends in any other letter than s.
For example
men’s jobs
women’s professions
children’s schools
Note
The apostrophe (‘) in the plural is a modern invention used to denote the possessive case. In Lord Grey’s letter to the Prince of Wales, written in the latter part of the twelfth or the first of the thirteenth century, are these expressions:
Notice that none of these possessive nouns, Lordes, Kynges, and Erels use the apostrophe as they would in modern English. In modern English they would be written Lord’s, King’s, and Earl’s.
When the singular ends in a, or in a letter or combination of letters having the sound of s, and the addition of a syllable would be harsh, the poets and some prose writers add the apostrophe (‘) only.
For example
Peleus’ son
goodness’ sake
conscience’ sake
Moses’ seat
Cockatrice’ den
Note
Some difference of opinion prevails among writers regarding the form of the possessive in some cases where the singular ends in s. Some writers add only the apostrophe, but others use the apostrophe and an additional s. Thus, we have:
Authority favors the additional s especially if a syllable can reasonably be added in pronouncing the word, such as:
When the singular and plural of a noun are alike, the apostrophe precedes the s in the singular, and follows it in the plural.
For example
Singular deer’s and plural deers’
Singular sheep’s and plural sheeps’
The Objective Case
A noun that follows a transitive verb or a preposition is said to be the object of the verb or the object of the preposition. Nouns and pronouns used as the object of a verb or objects of a preposition are in the objective case.
For example
In the sentence:
Thomas opened his knife.
knife is the object of the transitive verb opened and is in the objective case.In the sentence:
The bird sat on the tree.
tree is the object of the preposition on and is in the objective case.
Nouns and pronouns in the nominative case answer the questions Who? or What ?
For example
Who writes? John writes.
What alarms him? The snow alarms him.
Nouns and pronouns in the possessive case answers the question Whose?
For example
Whose book have you? I have my brother’s book.
Nouns and pronouns in the objective case answers the question Whom? What? or Where?
For example
Whom do you see? I see the captain.
Where does he stand? He stands upon the deck.
Nouns in the possessive case may be known by its form. But the forms of nouns in the nominative and the objective cases are exactly alike. Whether a noun is in the nominative or objective case must be determined by their relation to other words.
