possessive case
Definition
Noun: - The grammatical case that indicates ownership, possession, origin, or a similar relationship. It is the form of a noun, pronoun, or determiner used to show that something belongs to someone or something.
Usage
The possessive case is primarily used to denote ownership or a close association. In English, it is most commonly formed by adding an apostrophe and an 's' ('s) to singular nouns and irregular plural nouns not ending in 's'. For regular plural nouns ending in 's', only an apostrophe is added.
Examples
- Singular noun: (The leash belonging to the dog.)
- Plural noun ending in 's': (The books belonging to the students.)
- Irregular plural noun: (The toys belonging to the children.)
- Pronoun: (That book belongs to her.)
Advanced Usage
- Joint vs. Individual Possession: The possessive case can indicate if something is owned jointly or separately.
- Joint: Sarah and Tom's house (They own one house together).
- Individual: Sarah's and Tom's cars (They each own their own car).
- With Inanimate Objects: While traditionally used for people and animals, it is also common with expressions of time, space, and personified objects.
- a week's vacation, the city's history, the sun's rays
Variants and Related Words
- Possessive (Adjective): Having or showing a desire to own or control.
- Possession (Noun): The state of having or owning something.
- Genitive Case: A linguistic term often used synonymously with "possessive case," especially in the study of other languages.
Synonyms
- Genitive case (a more technical, linguistic term).
- Ownership form.
Related Phrases
- Double genitive / Double possessive: A construction that uses both the preposition 'of' and the possessive case, often for emphasis or specificity.
- Example: He is a friend of my father's. (This emphasizes one friend among my father's many friends.)
Noun
-
the case expressing ownership
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