With other nouns (denoting inanimate objects or abstract notions)

THE POSSESSIVE (GENITIVE) CASE

Case is the form of the noun which shows the relation of the noun to other words in the sentence.

English nouns have two cases — the COMMON case and the GENITIVE (POSSESSIVE) case: my sister - my sister’s bag

The possessive case is used to denote the possession of particular things, qualities and characteristics.

The number of nouns which may be used in the possessive case is limited. The -'s possessive commonly occurs with:

Nouns denoting living creatures

- personal names and indefinite pronouns replacing them: Mary's job, John’s idea, the Browns’ house, the doctor’s advice; anyone’s guess, nobody else’s business, etc;

- collective nouns: the team's victory, the government’s policy, the committee’s decision;

- nouns, denoting animals: the swallow’s nest, the cobra’s smile;

Nouns, denoting non-living things

- geographical names: Europe's future, the United States' policy, London’s museums;

- institutions and organizations (+ the names of newspapers): the company’s plans, the firm’s executive board, the Geographical Society’s gold medal, the Tribune’s role;

- nouns denoting time, distance and measure: a moment’s delay, yesterday’s telephone conversation, an hour’s drive, a month’s absence, a mile’s distance, a euro's worth;

- the nouns world, nation, country, city, town / sun, moon, earth: the world’s top guitarists, the sun’s rays, the nation’s wealth;

- means of transport: ship, boat, car, plane, bike, train, etc: the ship's crew, the bike’s wheel, the car’s wheel;

-

Nouns in the possessive case are often used in FIXED EXPRESSIONS, proverbs, and sayings:

at a stone’s throw – в двух шагах

at the water’s edge – у кромки воды

at an arm’s length – на расстоянии вытянутой руки

at a snail’s pace – черепашьим шагом

a wolf in sheep’s clothing – волк в овечьей шкуре

to one’s heart’s content - сколько душе угодно, вволю

at death’s door - при смерти, на пороге смерти

out of harm’s way - в безопасности; от греха подальше

by a hair’s breadth - едва не, на волосок от...

at one's wit's end - в замешательстве, в тупике

for heaven’s sake, for goodness’ sake – ради Бога, etc.

With other nouns (denoting inanimate objects or abstract notions)

the OF + NOUN phrase is used: the back of a train, the legs of a table.

Pronunciation Notes:

The ending ' s is pronounced just like a plural ending:

[s] – after voiceless consonants, e.g. stu­dent's, wife's.

[z] – after voiced consonants and vowels, e.g. boy's, girl's.

[iz] – after sibilants, e.g. prince's, judge's.

The rules for the formation of the possessive case:

1.	Singular nouns and names	's	the dog’s tail Kate’s jacket the pilot’s uniform Dickens’ (Dickens’s) novels*
2.	Regular plurals	'	the players’ coaches the girls’ clothes the Smiths’ family Ladies’ College
3.	Irregular plurals	's	women’s sports people’s choice sheep’s wool children’s games
5.	Compound nouns	's (to the last component)	Women-drivers’ licenses my father-in-law's house the passerby's remark**

*Note: if a name ends in the letter ’ s ’, we add either (‘s) or (‘) – Charles ’ /Charles ’s chocolate factory. But we pronounce a possessive 's [iz] even when it is not written! Tess ’ [‘tes iz ] ideas. Ancient Greek names have only one variant - Socrates ’ ['sokrati:z] wife, Archimedes ’ [,a:ki:’mi:di:z] Principle.

**Note: This rule also applies to compound titles and time periods:

the Prince of Wales ’s helicopter, Elizabeth the Second ’s residence, a week or two ’s time.

A specific feature of the English genitive case is the so-called GROUP GENITIVE when [ ‘s ] can be added:

1) to a group of two coordinated nouns if such a group refers to a single idea (when two persons possess or are related to something they have in common):

Mum and Dad’s room

John and Mary’s car (separate possession)

[compare: John’s and Mary’s cars (individual possession)]

2) to an extensive phrase which may even contain a clause:

the secretary of state’s private room

the man I saw yesterday’s son

3) to a noun (pronoun) + a pronoun group:

someone else’s car

nobody else’s business

4) to a group ending in a numeral:

in an hour or two’s time.

Henry the Eighth's six wives

THE ABSOLUTE/ INDEPENDENT POSSESSIVE

The noun in the possessive case can be used on its own, without a headword:

· To avoid repetition: Our house is better than Mary’s (than Mary’s house).

· To denote shops and businesses: the butcher’s, the baker’s, the chemist’s, the hairdresser’s, etc. (When we refer to well-known stores, [‘s] is usually omitted: Macys, Harrds)

· To denote places of residence: at Timothy’s, at Old Jolyon’s, at my uncle’s.

· To denote institutions, where the possessive is usually a saint's name: St Paul’s (Cathedral), St James’s (Palace), etc.

1. What could we use in place of the words in brackets?

1. Your mother has gone to (the shop owned by the hairdresser).

2. I’ll meet you at (the shop owned by the chemist).

3. I’m going to spend the night at (the house owned by my aunt).

4. We were married in (the church dedicated to St.Andrew).

5. I bought this at (the department store owned by Marks and Spencer).

6. Sam met his wife at (the house owned by his relative).

7. Let’s all get together at (the house of Mr. Williams).

8. Don’t call me tomorrow at 4 o’clock. I will be at (the shop owned by the dentist).

9. Have you been to (the shop owned by the baker) today?

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