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Грамматика 1 часть январь 2008.doc
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4.1. The (determinative) possessive case.

The noun in the possessive case performs the determinative function for a following noun and has the meaning ‘belonging to’: The student’s suggestions (‘suggestions belonging to the student’). This is the determinative possessive or just the possessive case, for short.

The following four animate noun classes normally have the possessive case:

a) personal names: Nelson’s column, John’s coat;

b) personal nouns: the boy’s shirt, my sister-in-law’s pencil;

c) collective nouns: the government’s decision, the nation’s security;

d) higher animals: the horse’s tail, the lion’s mane.

Some kinds of inanimate nouns may also have possessive case:

a) geographical names: Europe’s future, London’s water supply;

b) temporal and space nouns: yesterday’s newspaper, a mile’s distance;

c) nouns of special interest to human activity: the ship’s nose, the game’s history.

All other nouns usually take of -structure to reflect possession: the leg of the table, the interior of the room, the title of the book.

The possessive case is indicated in writing by an apostrophe () plus -s in the singular (the student’s suggestion) and by an apostrophe following the plural -s inflection in the plural (the students’ suggestions), though in speech three of these forms: students, student’s and students’ are pronounced identically:

Singular Plural

Common case the student the students

Possessive case the student’s books the students’ books

T he possessive case for irregular nouns, however, distinguishes all four forms in speech as well as in writing:

Singular Plural

Common case the child the children

Possessive case the child’s toy the children’s toys

After proper nouns ending in -s possessive case may be formed only with an apostrophe: Dickens’ novels (though Dickens’s novels is also possible).

E x e r c i s e s

4.1. Translate into English the phrases using the possessive case where possible.

Мать друга; книга брата; платье сестры; ноги лошади; окно комнаты; ножка стола; школа сына; квартира друга; смерть героя; сеть рыбака; день рождения матери; рукава пальто (the arms); стена дома; конец фильма; словарь учителя; хвост лисицы; дверь квартиры; портфель ученика; название реки; жена брата; шкура медведя; рассказ женщины; вчерашняя газета.

4.2. Put in an apostrophe where necessary.

  1. My brothers name is Jack.

  2. Brothers friends know English.

  3. A mans hands are stronger than a womans.

  4. The wolfs howl was heard in the forest.

  5. These are Pushkins poems.

  6. Goats milk is good for health.

  7. The girls brother is tall enough to reach the tree.

  8. I had done two hours work when you were in bed.

  9. He is a funny old man with a beard like a goats.

  10. This shop has a large number of childrens books.

  11. Can you show me the way to the boys school?

  12. How many of Dickens novels have you read?

  13. Many tourists visit Shakespeares birthplace every year.

  14. She followed her mothers advice.