English Grammar CHAPTER 8: THE NOUN: CASE

Chapter 8: The Noun: Case

Welcome to Chapter 8! In this chapter, we are going to learn about the Case of a noun. In English grammar, the "case" of a noun tells us about its relationship with other words in a sentence. Does the noun perform an action? Does it receive an action? Or does it show ownership? By understanding cases, you will know exactly how every noun functions in your sentences.

---

Topic 1: The Nominative and Objective (Accusative) Cases

1. Explanation

Every complete sentence has an action (the verb), someone or something doing the action (the subject), and often someone or something receiving the action (the object).

• Nominative Case: When a noun (or pronoun) is used as the Subject of a verb. It is the "doer" of the action.
• Objective (or Accusative) Case: When a noun (or pronoun) is used as the Object of a verb. It is the "receiver" of the action.

2. Important Rules and Exceptions

• How to find the Nominative (Subject): Put "Who?" or "What?" before the verb.
• How to find the Objective (Object): Put "Whom?" or "What?" before the verb and its subject.
• Prepositional Objects: A noun that comes right after a preposition (like in, on, at, by) is also in the Objective/Accusative Case. We say it is "governed" by the preposition.
• Form: In English, nouns have the exact same spelling in both the Nominative and Accusative cases. We tell them apart by their position (word order) in the sentence! The Nominative usually comes before the verb, and the Accusative comes after.

3. Solved Examples

Example 1: John threw a stone.

• Who threw a stone? John. (John is the Subject = Nominative Case).
• What did John throw? A stone. (Stone is the Object = Objective Case).

Example 2: The horse kicked the boy.

• Who kicked the boy? The horse. (Horse = Nominative Case).
• Whom did the horse kick? The boy. (Boy = Objective Case).

Example 3 (Preposition): The book is in the desk.

• The noun desk comes after the preposition in. Therefore, desk is in the Accusative Case.

Example 4 (Word Order Matters):

• Hari broke the window. (Hari = Subject, window = Object).
• The window was broken. (Window = Subject. Notice how the same word changes case based on its role in the sentence!).

4. Practice Exercises

Identify whether the underlined noun is in the Nominative or Objective case:

1. The dog chased the cat.
2. The teacher praised the student.
3. The keys are on the table.

5. Solutions and Explanations

1. Nominative: "Dog" is doing the chasing (Subject).
2. Objective: "Student" is receiving the praise (Object).
3. Objective: "Table" follows the preposition "on" (Object of the preposition).

6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Mistake: Assuming the first noun in a sentence is always the subject, especially in passive voice (e.g., "The mouse was eaten by the cat").

Tip: Always ask the "Who/What" question before the verb to find the true subject.

7. Quick Summary

Nominative = Subject (Doer). Objective = Object (Receiver or after a preposition). Nouns don't change spelling for these cases.

---

Topic 2: Direct and Indirect Objects

1. Explanation

Sometimes, an action doesn't just affect one object; it affects two! When a verb has two objects, one is the thing being acted upon, and the other is the person receiving that thing.

• Direct Object: The ordinary object (usually a non-living thing). It answers "What?".
• Indirect Object: The person to whom something is given, or for whom something is done. It answers "To whom?" or "For whom?".

2. Important Rules and Exceptions

Word Order Rule: The Indirect Object is almost always placed immediately after the verb and before the Direct Object.

If you want to place the Direct Object first, you must use a preposition (like to or for) before the Indirect Object.

3. Solved Examples

Example 1: Rama gave Hari a ball.

• Verb: gave
• What was given? A ball. (Direct Object)
• To whom was it given? Hari. (Indirect Object)
• Alternative: Rama gave a ball to Hari.

More Examples:

• Will you do me a favour? = Will you do a favour to me?
• I bought Rama a ball. = I bought a ball for Rama.
• Fetch the boy a book. = Fetch a book for the boy.
• She made Ruth a new dress. = She made a new dress for Ruth.
• Get me a taxi. = Get a taxi for me.

4. Practice Exercises

Identify the Direct Object (DO) and Indirect Object (IO) in the following sentences:

1. The teacher asked the class a difficult question.
2. My mother baked us a cake.

5. Solutions and Explanations

1. DO: question (what was asked). IO: class (to whom it was asked).
2. DO: cake (what was baked). IO: us (for whom it was baked).

6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Mistake: Identifying the object of a preposition as an Indirect Object. In "I gave the book to him," "him" is the object of the preposition "to," not a grammatical indirect object (though the meaning is similar).

Tip: An Indirect Object sits right next to the verb without any prepositions!

7. Quick Summary

Direct Object = the thing. Indirect Object = the person receiving the thing. Order: Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object.

---

Topic 3: The Possessive (Genitive) Case - Usage

1. Explanation

The Possessive (or Genitive) Case is used to show ownership or possession. It answers the question, "Whose?". We form it by changing the noun (usually by adding an apostrophe and an 's', like Rama's).

However, it does not only mean ownership. It can also show authorship, origin, or kind.

2. Important Rules and Exceptions

• Living vs. Non-living Rule: The Possessive Case is chiefly used with the names of living things (people and animals). For non-living things, we use the preposition "of".
• Exceptions for Non-living things: We CAN use the possessive case for non-living things if they are:
  • Personified Objects: Objects treated like humans.
  • Time, Space, or Weight.
  • Certain familiar phrases.

3. Solved Examples

Basic Possession & Other Meanings:

• This is Ram's umbrella. (Whose umbrella? Ram's. Shows ownership).
• Shakespeare's plays = the plays written by Shakespeare. (Authorship)
• A mother's love = the love felt by a mother. (Origin/Feeling)
• The President's speech = the speech delivered by the President. (Origin)
• Mr. Aggarwal's house = the house where Mr. Aggarwal lives.
• Ashok's school = the school where Ashok goes.
• A children's playground = a playground for children. (Kind)

The "Living Things" Rule:

• Correct: The Governor's bodyguard; the lion's mane.
• Correct: The leg of the table (NOT: the table's leg).
• Correct: The cover of the book (NOT: the book's cover).
• Correct: The roof of the house (NOT: the house's roof).

Exceptions (When to use 's on non-living things):

• Personified Objects: India's heroes; Nature's laws; Fortune's favourite; at duty's call; at death's door.
• Time, Space, Weight: A day's march; a week's holiday; in a year's time; a stone's throw; a foot's length; a pound's weight.
• Common Phrases: At his fingers' ends; for mercy's sake; to his heart's content; at his wit's end; a boat's crew.

Implied Places: Sometimes the possessive noun denotes a building or shop (church, house, school, hospital), so we drop the second noun entirely!

• She has gone to the baker's (= baker's shop).
• Tonight I am dining at my uncle's (= uncle's house).
• Can you tell me the way to St. Paul's (= St. Paul's church)?
• I attend the Town High School but my cousin attends St. Xavier's (= St. Xavier's school).
• He was educated at St. Joseph's.

Possessive Case vs. "Of" Phrase Meanings:

• The Prime Minister's reception in Delhi: The PM threw a party and welcomed others.
• The reception of the Prime Minister in Delhi: The people of Delhi welcomed the PM when he arrived.
• The love of a father: Can mean a father loving his child, OR a child loving their father! Context is key.

4. Practice Exercises

Correct the errors in the following phrases, if any:

1. The chair's leg is broken.
2. I need a month's rest.
3. The school's roof is leaking.

5. Solutions and Explanations

1. Incorrect. Should be: The leg of the chair is broken. (Chair is non-living).
2. Correct. "A month's rest" is correct because it relates to time.
3. Incorrect. Should be: The roof of the school is leaking. (School/building is non-living).

6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Mistake: Using 's for every non-living object.

Tip: If it doesn't breathe, usually rely on the word "of", unless you are talking about time (a week's pay) or measurement (a stone's throw).

7. Quick Summary

Use 's for living things, time/space/weight, and personified ideas. Use "of" for regular non-living things. 's can show ownership, origin, or kind.

---

Topic 4: Formation of the Possessive Case

1. Explanation

Knowing when to use the possessive case is half the battle. Knowing where to put the apostrophe is the other half! Here are the rules for creating the possessive form.

2. Important Rules and Exceptions

• Rule 1 (Singular Nouns): Add an apostrophe + s ('s).
• Rule 1 Exception (Hissing sounds): If a singular word ends in a heavy 's' sound, sometimes we just add an apostrophe (') to avoid too many hissing sounds.
• Rule 2 (Plural ending in 's'): Just add an apostrophe (').
• Rule 3 (Plural NOT ending in 's'): Add an apostrophe + s ('s).
• Rule 4 (Multi-word titles): Put the possessive sign on the last word only.
• Rule 5 (Joint vs. Separate Possession): If two people own one thing together, put the 's on the last person. If they own separate things, put 's on both!

3. Solved Examples

• Singular: The boy's book; the king's crown.
• Hissing Sounds: For conscience' sake; for goodness' sake; for justice' sake; for Jesus' sake; Moses' laws.
• Plurals ending in 's': Boys' school; girls' school; horses' tails.
• Plurals not ending in 's': Men's club; children's books.
• Multi-word Titles: The King of Bhutan's visit; The Prime Minister of Mauritius's speech.
• Joint Possession: Karim and Salim's bakery. (They own one bakery together). William and Mary's reign.
• Separate Possession: Raja Rao's and R.K. Narayan's novels. (They write their own separate novels). Goldsmith's and Cowper's poems.

4. Practice Exercises

Rewrite the phrases using the correct possessive form:

1. The toys belonging to the babies.
2. The car shared by Mom and Dad.
3. The shoes of the women.

5. Solutions and Explanations

1. The babies' toys. (Plural ending in 's', so just add an apostrophe).
2. Mom and Dad's car. (Joint possession, so only the last noun gets the 's).
3. The women's shoes. (Plural not ending in 's', so add 's).

6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Mistake: Writing "childrens'" or "mens'".

Tip: Look at the base plural word. Is it "children"? It does not end in 's'. Therefore, you treat it like a singular word and add 's -> children's.

7. Quick Summary

Singular = 's. Plural with 's' = '. Plural without 's' = 's. Joint ownership = 's on the last name only.

---

Topic 5: Nouns in Apposition

1. Explanation

Sometimes we place one noun right next to another noun to explain or describe who or what it is. This is called "Apposition" (which literally means "placing near").

2. Important Rules and Exceptions

The Case Rule: A noun in apposition is always in the same case as the noun it is explaining.

The Possessive Rule: When two nouns are in apposition, the possessive sign ('s) is put on the latter (the second) noun only.

3. Solved Examples

Example 1: Rama, our captain, made fifty runs.

• "Rama" and "our captain" are the same person. "Captain" explains which Rama we mean.
• Because Rama is the Subject (Nominative Case), "captain" is also in the Nominative Case.

Example 2: Kabir, the great reformer, was a weaver.

• "reformer" is in apposition to "Kabir". Both are in the Nominative Case.

Example 3: Yesterday I met your uncle, the doctor.

• I met whom? Your uncle. (Uncle = Objective/Accusative Case).
• "Doctor" is in apposition to "uncle", so "doctor" is also in the Accusative Case!

Example 4 (Possessive Apposition):

• That is Tagore the poet's house. (The 's goes on the second noun, "poet").
• Have you seen Ganguli, the artist's drawings? (The 's goes on "artist").

4. Practice Exercises

Identify the noun in apposition in the following sentence:

1. My brother, the engineer, fixed the computer.

5. Solutions and Explanations

1. engineer. It is placed right next to "brother" to explain his profession. It is in the Nominative case because "brother" is the subject.

6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Mistake: Putting the 's on the first noun (e.g., "Tagore's the poet house").

Tip: Keep the name and the title together, and put the apostrophe at the very end of the whole phrase!

7. Quick Summary

Apposition means placing a noun next to another to describe it. The appositive noun shares the exact same case as the original noun.

---

Chapter Assessment: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. When a noun is the subject of a verb, it is in the:
A) Objective Case
B) Nominative Case
C) Possessive Case
D) Apposition Case

Answer: B. Explanation: The Nominative case denotes the subject (doer) of the verb.

2. In the sentence "The horse kicked the boy", what case is "boy" in?
A) Nominative
B) Objective (Accusative)
C) Possessive
D) Genitive

Answer: B. Explanation: "Boy" is receiving the action, making it the object of the verb.

3. A noun coming directly after a preposition is in the:
A) Nominative Case
B) Possessive Case
C) Genitive Case
D) Accusative Case

Answer: D. Explanation: Objects of prepositions are considered to be in the Accusative (Objective) case.

4. In English, how do we usually distinguish between the Nominative and Objective case of a noun?
A) By changing the spelling of the noun
B) By adding an apostrophe
C) By the order of words (its position in the sentence)
D) By adding "-es" to the noun

Answer: C. Explanation: Nouns have the same form for both cases; we tell them apart by their position (before or after the verb).

5. In the sentence "Rama gave Hari a ball", what is "Hari"?
A) Direct Object
B) Indirect Object
C) Subject
D) Object of a preposition

Answer: B. Explanation: Hari is the person to whom the ball (direct object) was given, making him the Indirect Object.

6. Where is the Indirect Object usually placed in a sentence?
A) After the Direct Object
B) Before the Verb
C) Immediately after the Verb and before the Direct Object
D) At the very end of the sentence

Answer: C. Explanation: The standard structure is Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (e.g., gave Hari a ball).

7. The Possessive Case answers which of the following questions?
A) Who?
B) Whom?
C) What?
D) Whose?

Answer: D. Explanation: The possessive case shows ownership, answering "Whose?".

8. Which of the following is correct?
A) The table's leg
B) The house's roof
C) The leg of the table
D) The book's cover

Answer: C. Explanation: We generally use the "of" phrase for non-living things, not the 's possessive.

9. In the phrase "A mother's love", the possessive case denotes:
A) Ownership of a physical object
B) Authorship
C) A feeling or origin
D) A period of time

Answer: C. Explanation: Here, it shows the love felt by (originating from) a mother, not physical ownership.

10. Which is a correct use of the possessive case for a non-living thing?
A) The car's wheel
B) A week's holiday
C) The pen's ink
D) The door's handle

Answer: B. Explanation: Time, space, and weight nouns are exceptions and can take the 's possessive.

11. "I am going to the baker's." What does "baker's" mean here?
A) The baker's hat
B) The baker's shop
C) The baker's wife
D) The baker's recipe

Answer: B. Explanation: The possessive of a trade or profession is often used to imply their place of business.

12. How do you form the possessive of a singular noun ending in a heavy hissing sound (like Jesus or Moses)?
A) Add 's (Jesus's)
B) Just add an apostrophe (') (Jesus')
C) Do not change the word at all
D) Add -es (Jesuses)

Answer: B. Explanation: To avoid too many hissing sounds, we drop the 's' and just use the apostrophe (e.g., Jesus' sake, Moses' laws).

13. Choose the correct possessive form for a plural noun ending in "s" (like boys).
A) Boys's
B) Boy's
C) Boys'
D) Boies'

Answer: C. Explanation: Plural nouns ending in 's' only take an apostrophe (e.g., Boys' school).

14. Choose the correct possessive form for a plural noun NOT ending in "s" (like children).
A) Childrens'
B) Children'
C) Children's
D) Childrens's

Answer: C. Explanation: If a plural doesn't end in s, you treat it like a singular noun and add 's.

15. How do you write the possessive for a multi-word title, like "The King of Bhutan"?
A) The King's of Bhutan visit
B) The King of Bhutan's visit
C) The King's of Bhutan's visit
D) The Kings of Bhutans visit

Answer: B. Explanation: For a title consisting of several words, the possessive sign is attached only to the last word.

16. If Karim and Salim own a bakery together, how is it written?
A) Karim's and Salim's bakery
B) Karim and Salim's bakery
C) Karim's and Salim bakery
D) Karims and Salims bakery

Answer: B. Explanation: For joint possession, the possessive sign is put on the latter (second) noun only.

17. If Raja Rao and R.K. Narayan wrote their own separate novels, how is it written?
A) Raja Rao and R.K. Narayan's novels
B) Raja Rao's and R.K. Narayan's novels
C) Raja Raos and R.K. Narayans novels
D) Raja Rao's and R.K. Narayan novel

Answer: B. Explanation: When implying separate possession, each noun must take its own possessive sign.

18. In "Rama, our captain, made fifty runs", the phrase "our captain" is an example of:
A) A Direct Object
B) An Indirect Object
C) A noun in apposition
D) A possessive noun

Answer: C. Explanation: Placing a noun next to another to explain/describe it is called apposition.

19. A noun in apposition is always in:
A) The Nominative Case
B) The Objective Case
C) The Possessive Case
D) The same case as the noun it explains

Answer: D. Explanation: A noun in apposition grammatically matches the case of the noun it is describing.

20. Which sentence correctly shows nouns in apposition in the possessive case?
A) That is Tagore's the poet's house.
B) That is Tagore the poet's house.
C) That is Tagore's the poet house.
D) That is Tagore the poets house.

Answer: B. Explanation: When two nouns are in apposition, the possessive sign ('s) is placed on the latter noun only.