THE GENITIVE CASE 3 

 Examples:
   the Blakes’ mansion
1  Examples:    Ms Woods’s5 purse
   Emily’s relations2 (the possessor + 's + the thing possessed)    Cervantes’ novels
   The wolf’s ears    Pythagoras’ Theorem
   The legs of the chair3 (the thing possessed + of +    Dickens’s prose style
   the possessor)
   The examples above are proper names ending in -s. They have
   In general, we can say that we use the genitive    the following characteristics:
   case ('s) when the possessor is a person or an      The Blakes is a plural noun.
   animal. If not, we use the of-construction4.      Ms Woods is an ordinary person.
     Cervantes is a well-known foreign man, who died a long
a  (Mr Smith, canoe) is superb.      time ago.
b  (the house, the windows) are of high quality.      Pythagoras is considered to be a classical man.
c  I love (your son, trainers).      Dickens is famous and died a long time ago, but he is
d  You can see (a cat, eyes) in the dark.      English. (another example: St. James’s Park)
e  Someone has just pinched (my friend, ballpoint).
   Consequently, we can conclude by saying that only the
   apostrophe is used with classical names (Roman and Greek) and
2  Examples:    famous foreign names which refer to people who died a long
   The boys’ bikes    time ago.
   The children’s bikes
   The boy’s bike a  I have to study the (Archimedes principle) for tomorrow.
b  (Mrs Watkins, hubby) is currently overseas.
   If we have a plural form ending in -s, we add only the c  I love (Dickens, novels).
   apostrophe, as in the first example. In the second instance, d  (James, girl-friend) is very intelligent.
   children is plural, but it does not end in -s. In the third e  That is (Mr Miles, missus).
   case, boy is singular, so we add ‘s, as has been seen in
   the previous section.
4  Revision exercise.
a  (your sister, court shoes) are gorgeous! a  (Mary, pimples) depress her.
b  (the schoolgirls, uniforms) are awful. b  (Celia, eyes) sparkled with joy.
c  (the schoolchildren, running shoes) are terrible. c  (my hat, the brim) is dirty.
d  (the schoolboy, football boots) are inexpensive. d  (the video, the romote control) is broken.
e  I don’t like (your friends, behaviour). e  (Denis, watch) is water-resitant.
f  These are (Mr Evans, pliers).
g  This photo was taken in (my half-brother, heyday). He became
   very popular in the ‘70s. e  These are (Mr and Mrs White, hammocks).
h  (this house, the walls) are very old.
i  (this book, the cover) is really exquisite.
j  (the trunk, the lid) dates back to the 17th century. 6  Examples:
k  He finds (Euripides, plays) quite boring.    She’s at the doctor’s (surgery).
l  (John, half-sister)is as meek as a lamb.    Peter’s (pheasant) looks great.
m  (cigarettes, this packet) is American.    I’m going to the baker’s (shop).
n  We need five (these flowers, stems).
o  Don’t soak (the dress, the lining).    As seen in the examples above, the thing possessed can be
p  (her pupils, homework) was excellent.    dropped6 if it is implicit in our general knowledge.
q  (his dog, tail) was badly hurt in the accident.
r  He will sabotage (your warriors, weapons). a  We need to buy some meat. Let’s go to (the butcher).
s  (Miss Curtis, lipstick) was stolen from her clutch bag b  If you want a bunch of flowers, go to (the florist).
   last night. c  I need a pair of glasses, so I’m going to (the optician)
t  (the Browns, house) was built in the 18th century.    this afternoon.
u  You’ve scorched (Billy, clothes)! d  My daughter is coming for dinner this evening, so I’m going
v  I would like to read a little of (Sophocles, poetry).    to (the fishmonger) to buy some fish.
w  (bread, these slices) are too thin. e  My toothache is very painful. I think I’ll have to go to
x  (my chair, the back) is very uncomfortable.    (the dentist).
y  (his house, the walls) are paper thin.
z  (my sister, goddaughter) is so predictable!
7  Examples:
   Tomorrow’s match has been postponed.
5  Examples:
   Eve and Margaret’s bikinis    The genitive also occurs with time words or phrases.
   Mr and Mrs Roberts’s yacht
   My sister-in-law’s property a  (yesterday, competition) was put off because of the weather.
b  (last night, performance) was a complete failure.
   If the possessor has more than one word, we place the c  (next week, party) will be indoors, as it’s getting cooler.
   genitive at the end. d  (last year, carnival) was a roaring success.
e  (tonight, date) is especial. I think it’s been love at
a  (Fiona and Elmer, ostentatious flat) is beyond their    first sight.
   possibilities. I don’t know how they will cope with
   the payments.
b  (Mr and Mrs Jarvis, carrots) are from their garden. 8  Examples:
c  (the boys and the girls, rooms) are downstairs.    This is New York’s tallest building/This is the tallest
d  (my brother and my sister, sense of humour) is fascinating.    building in New York.
   This town’s first cinema was built in 1937/The first u  (the day after tomorrow, dancing contest) will take place
   cinema in this town was built in 1937.    in the afternoon.
v  (my hometown, second museum) was built on this side of
   The genitive is also possible with places, mostly with    the river.
   countries, superlative adjectives and ordinal numbers. w  (Liz, alibi) isn’t convincing.
x  They like (Aristophanes humorous plays).
a  Is (Britain, bus service) efficient? y  He says that he touched (the mermaid, tail) in his dream.
b  She broke (the world, record7) last year. z  (that guy, pekinese) is stone-blind.
c  I would like to see (Italy, most ancient monument).
d  This is (the city, first theatre).
e  This is (the country, most recent discovery). 10 Examples:
   The firm’s new project is very revolutionary/The new project
   of the firm is very revolutionary.
9  Revision exercise.
a  (my brother-in-law, toupee) is ridiculous.    As a general rule, both the genitive and the of-construction
b  (the day before yesterday, reception) was off.    are possible with nouns referring to groups of people.
c  I was put off by (Nicholas, manners).
d  (the palace, the furniture) dates from the 17th century. a  (the government, intervention) didn’t make much difference
e  She loves (Catalonia, way of life).    to what was expected.
f  She wants to open (a carpenter, workshop). b  (the company, profits) are getting better at present.
g  (my dog and cat, food) costs very little. c  I don’t agree with (the committee, policy).
h  Were (Jesus, miracles) true? d  (the team, players) should consider our pieces of advice.
i  ‘What’s (Charles, occupation)?’ e  (the party, members) are having a meeting now.
   I’m not sure, but I think he’s an opera composer.’
j  (my pals, bikes) are better than mine.
k  These are (my housekeeper, keys). 11 Examples:
l  (her partner, words) came straight from his heart.    This is the car of the girl who bought a pair of ballet
m  We shall have to erase that bad experience from (our    shoes yesterday evening.
   daughter, memory).    The moustache of the man who has a scar on his face is very
n  (Tess, stepchildren) are a picture of health.    uncommon nowadays/The moustache of the man with a scar on his
o  They always won their matches thanks to (their manager,    face is very uncommon nowadays.
   secret weapons).
p  This rucksack isn’t yours. It’s (Eve).    The possessive case is not possible if the possessor is
q  If my memory serves me correctly, it’s (Elmer, birthday).    followed by that, who, etc.
r  (my uncle vineyards) are the best spot to be on (one, own).
s  (the settee, the legs) were made by me. a  It’s (the day [that]8 we met, a picture).
t  (the rocking chair, the wood) comes from Brazil. b  This is (the man [that] she promised to be always true to,
   the briefcase). c  She told me that she had betrayed me at (death, door).
c  Look at (the ostrich [which] you are feeding, the eyes). d  They bought (twenty dollars, worth of aubergines).
d  (the boy [that] Mary loves, the face) is very photogenic. e  When she became famous, she achieved (her life, ambition).
e  (the person [who is] in love with him, the ring) is a snip.

14 Revision exercise.
12 Examples: a  He likes (Marilyn Monroe, sex appeal).
   They love Jane Austen’s novels/They love the novels of Jane b  For (our children, sake), please don’t do it.
   Austen. c  (the president, speech) did not convince anybody.
   My neighbour’s murder/The murder of my neighbour was silenced d  (my sister, wedding) didn’t last long.
   by the police. e  This book deals with (Portugal, culture).
f  He considers (Socrates, thoughts) very interesting.
   The sentences above do not indicate possession. In cases of g  (Mrs Brooks, shopping list) is too long.
   this sort, both alternatives are generally possible. h  Is Mexico (the world, largest city)?
i  Now we are going to talk about (a tadpole, gills).
a  (my ex-husband, sudden death) was a trauma to my children. j  (Peter, rancour) won’t do him any good.
b  I detest (James Joyce, prose). He was the most pedantic k  (Bess, eggs) are always fresh.
   person on earth. l  If you ask me, (John Lennon, songs) are the best.
c  (Shakespeare, lines) were a landmark in the theatre of m  (these brogues, the sole) is very good.
   the time. n  (the crocodile, mouth) is immense.
d  (the prime minister, election) will be difficult. o  (his ex-wife, wristband) was made in Beijing.
e  (the vixen, running up and down) tired her out. p  (yesterday, showers) were beneficial to the land.
q  I spent the night looking at (the room, the ceiling).
r  I don’t know (this word, the meaning).
13 Examples: s  He ruined (his ex, career path).
   It’s only a mile’s walk. t  Someone nicked (our neighbours, hose) last night.
   It’s only a stone’s throw (away) from here. u  This is (the people [who live] next door, the pet).
   For heaven’s sake! v  I didn’t approve of (the multinational, security measures).
   For goodness’ sake! w  (the kids, survival) was due to the fact that they found
   It’s only ten pounds’ worth.    a stream.
   It happened at the water’s edge. x  (the company, enterprising attitude) will set a precedent
   in this sector.
   The genitive is common as well in a few expressions, such y  (this coffin, the material) will never perish.
   as the ones seen above. z  I’d like to buy some (traveller, cheques).

a  (the sun, rays) are necessary for life.

b  For (God, sake), what have you done!
____________________ Site :
1
  It is also called the possessive case or the Saxon genitive. http://www.polseguera.org/advanced_english_grammar/the_genitive_case.php
2
  Compare the following sentences:
     This is a photograph of Gloria’s.   
     This is a photograph of Gloria.
     He’s Nadia’s brother.
The key
     He’s a brother of Nadia’s.
   The first instance implies that the photograph belongs to      
   Gloria; the second, that Gloria is in the photograph. In the 1 a Mr Smith’s canoe b The windows of the
   third case, we suggest that Nadia has probably only one house c your son’s trainers d a cat’s
   brother; but in the fourth, that she has more than one.
3
  This construction is often called the of-genitive.
eyes emy friend’s ballpoint 
4
  Sometimes, it is possible to use the possessor as an adjective:
   the chair legs. Compare the following, though: 2 a Your sister’s court shoes b The
     A truck of vegetables (= A truck loaded with vegetables.) schoolgirls’ uniforms c The schoolchildren’s
     A vegetable truck (= A truck used to carry vegetables.)
   See unit 23, section 15, footnote 34.
running shoes d The schoolboy’s football
5
  Note the pronunciation: /wudziz/ boots e your friends’ behaviour 
6
  Sometimes, we not only omit the thing possessed, but leave out
   the apostrophe as well: Barclays (Bank)/Barclay’s (Bank) is very
3 a Archimedes’ principle b Mrs Watkins’s
   well-known world-wide.
hubby c Dickens’s novels d James’s girl-
   We may also say I’m going to the baker, but this is less usual friend e Mr Miles’s missus 
   and better to be avoided. If we say I’m going to the doctor, we
   mean that we are going to see the doctor; but if we say I’m going
4 a Mary’s pimples b Celia’s eyes c The brim
   to the doctor’s, we imply that we are going to his/her surgery.
7
  In this particular case, the apostrophe and the s are usually of my hat d The remote control of the
   dropped: video e Denis’s watch f Mr Evans’s
     She holds the world record in the javeling. pliers g my half-brother’s heyday h The walls
   But:
of this house i The cover of this book j The
     The world's largest river/The largest river in the world is
     the Amazon. lid of this trunk k Euripides’ plays l John’s
     The world's longest river/The longest river in the world is half-siter m This packet of
     the Nile. cigarettes n stems of these flowers o the
8
  Notice that that can be left out here.
lining of this dress p Her pupils’
Author: Miquel Molina i Diez homework q His dog’s tail r your warriors’
weapons s Miss Curtis’s lipstick t The 9 a My brother-in-law’s toupee b The day
Browns’ house u Billy’s clothes v Sophocles’ before yesterday’s reception c Nicholas’s
poetry w These slices of bread x The back of manners d The furniture of the
my chair y The walls of his house z My palace e Catalonia’s way of live/the Catalan
sister’s goddaughter  way of life/the way of live in Catalonia f a
carpenter’s workshop g My dog and cat’s
5 a Fiona and Elmer’s ostentatious flat b Mr foot hJesus’ miracles i Charles’s
and Mrs Jarvis’s carrots c The boys and the occupation j My pals’ bikes k my
girls’ rooms d My brother and my sister’s housekeeper’s keys l Her partner’s
sense of humour e Mr and Mrs White’s words m our daughter’s memory n Tess’s
hammocks  stepchildren o their manager’s secret
weapons p Eve’s q Elmer’s birthday r My
6 a the butcher’s b the florist’s c the uncle’s vineyards; one’s own s The legs of
optician’s d the fishmonger’s e the the settee/The settee legs t The wood of the
dentist’s  rocking chair u The day after tomorrow’s
dancing contest v My hometown’s second
7 a Yesterday’s competition b Last night’s museum/The second museum in my
perfomance c Next week’s party d Last year’s hometown w Liz’s alibi x Aristophanes’
carnival e Tonight’s date  humorous plays y the mermaid’s tale z That
guy’s pekinese 
8 a Britain’s bus service/the bus service in
Britain b the world record/the world’s 10 a The government’s intervention/The
record c Italy’s most ancient monument/the intervention of the government b The
most ancient monument in Italy d the city’s company’s profits/The profits of the
first theatre/the first theatre in the company c the committee’s policy/the policy
city e the country’s most recent of the committeed The team’s players/The
discovery/the most recent discovery in the players of the team e The party’s members/The
country  members of the party 
11 a a picture of the day (that) we met b the wife’s wristband pYesterday’s showers q the
briefcase of the man (that) she promised to ceiling of the room r the meaning of this
be always true to c the eyes of the ostrich word s his ex’s career path t our neighbour’s
(which) you are feeding d The face of boy hose u the pet of the people (who live) next
(that) Mary loves e The ring of the person door v the multinational’s security
(who is) in love with him  measures/the security measures of the
multinational w The kids’ survival/The
12 a My ex-husband’s sudden death/The sudden survival of the kids x The company’s
death of my husband b James Joyce’s prose/The enterprising attitude/The enterprising
prose of James Joyce c Shakespeare’s attitude of the company y The material of
lines/The lines of Shakespeare d The prime this coffin z traveller’s cheques 
minister’s election/The election of the prime
minister e The vixen’s running up and
down/The running up and down of the vixen 

13 a The sun’s rays b God’s sake c death’s

door d twenty dollars’ worth of
aubergines eher life’s ambition 

14 a Marilyn Monroe’s sex appeal b our

children’s sake c The president’s speech/The
speech of the president d My sister’s
wedding e Portugal’s culture/Portuguese
culture fSocrates’ thoughts g Mrs Brooks’s
shopping list h the world’s largest city/the
largest city in the world i a tadpole’s
gills j Peter’s rancour k Bess’s eggs l John
Lennon’s songs m The sole of these
brogues n The crocodile’s mouth o His ex-