§ 2.2. The possessive case suffix – ‘s is added:

1) to the stem of the noun in the singular;

e.g. the pupil’s exercise; the actress’s voice; the child’s mother

2) to the stem of plural nouns not ending in – S;

e.g. men’s work women’s clothes children’s room

3) proper names ending in – s can take – ‘s or the apostrophe alone – ‘;

e.g. Mr. Jones’s / Mr. Jones’ house Yeats’s /Yeats’ poems

In both cases suffix is pronounced [iz].

4) with compounds, the last word takes the – ‘s;

e.g. his sister-in-law’s car

her mother-in-law’s jewellery

the editor-in-chief’s orders

5) names consisting of several words also take the – ‘s;

e.g. Henry the Eighth’s wives; the Prince of Wales’s helicopter

6) – ‘s can be added to the initials;

e.g. the VIP’s escort the MP’s decision

§ 2.3. The apostrophe – ‘ alone is added to:

1) plural nouns ending in – s; e.g. the students’ hostel the eagles’ nest

2) Classical proper names; e.g. Pythagoras’ Theorem Archimedes’ Law Sophocles’ Plays

§3. THE USE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

§3.1. The possessive case is mainly used with nouns denoting living beings (people, animals).

e.g. a woman’s intuition the people’s choice the crew’s quarters

§3.2. In the following instances the possessive case may be used with names denoting inanimate nouns (lifeless things):

1) with nouns expressing time or distance;

e.g. a few days’ trip a mile’s distance a moment’s pause

2) with the geographical notions (town, city, country, river, water, ocean, world);

e.g. Europe’s future the island’s outline Russia’s exports

3) with ships and boats;

e.g. the ship’s bell the yacht’s mast (мачта)

4)with planes, trains, cars and other vehicles! (though here the of construction is better);

e.g. the train’s heating system or the heating system of the train

5) in expressions of money + worth;

e.g. ten roubles’ worth of stamp thirty thousand pounds’ worth of jewellery

6) with for + noun + sake;

e.g. for his mother’s sake for her family’s sake

7) in set-expressions;

A stone’s throw - небольшое расстояние

For pity’s sake - умоляю вас; во имя всего святого!; ради бога!

At death’s door - на пороге смерти; на краю гибели; при смерти; на краю могилы

To one’s heart’s content - вволю; всласть; сколько душе угодно

At one’s wit’s end - ум за разум заходит; стать в тупик

(to have smth) At one’s finger’s ends - знать что-л. как свои пять пальцев, владеть чем-л. в совершенстве; ≈ собаку съесть на чём-л

To a hair’s breadth - точно; точь-в-точь

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

For old acquaintance’s sake = for old sake's sake в память прошлых лет, во имя прошлого, по старой дружбе, по старой памяти.

For appearance’s sake - для отвода глаз

A pin’s head - булавочная головка; ничтожное (что-л.); очень маленькое

The needle’s eye/point - трудный путь; узкий проход; игольное ушко

For goodness’ sake = For heaven’s sake - ради Бога (для выражения раздражения, досады, мольбы); ради всего святого; во имя всего святого!

In one’s mind’s eye - духовное око; мысленный взгляд

Duty’s call –

8) with the names of newspapers and nouns denoting different kinds of organizations;

e.g. the Tribune’s role the government’s policy the party’s appeal

9)sometimes with names of seasons, months, days when they are personified;

e.g. today’s newspaper a winter’s day or winter day Autumn’s return

§3.3. OF + noun is used for possessions :

1) with inanimate nouns, except those listed above in § 3.2.;

e.g. the walls of the room the roof of the house the handle of the door

However, it is often possible to replace noun X + of + noun Y by noun Y + noun X in that order:

e.g. the town walls the house roof the door handle

The first noun becomes a sort of adjective and is not made plural.

e.g. the roofs of the houses = the house roofs

2) when the “possessor” noun is followed by a phrase or a clause;

e.g. I took the advice of a couple I met on the train and hired a car.

She is the sister of the girl with whom we were at school together

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