Cases of Nouns in English Grammar

The case is relation to noun with some other word or words in the sentence. These are four cases:-

i) When a noun or pronoun is a subject to the verb, it is in the Nominative Case, as :- John writes a letter. John is in the nominative case.

ii) When a noun or a pronoun is the object to the verb or a preposition, it is set to be in the objective case as:

a) He killed a snake

b) The boys laugh at the beggar.

In sentence (a) snake is the object of a verb “killed”.

In the sentence (b) the beggar is object to the preposition, “at”.

The nouns in these sentences are in the objective case.

iii) When a person is addressed, it is in the vocative case, as:

a) Girls, Keep Quiet.

b) Work hard, my son.

Here ‘girls’ and ‘my son’ are in the vocative case

iv) When the nouns or pronouns show possession it is in the possessive case, as:

Micheal’s book was on the table

My pen was stolen

Here proper noun ‘Micheal’s’ and the pronoun ‘my’ are in the possessive case.

Formation of the possessive case

The possessive case is generally formed as under: 

i) (s’) is used in the case of living things but not in the case of lifeless things. Thus we say John’s book and Peter’s Pencil, but leg of the chair and not chairs leg. However there are some exceptions as listed below:

a) Nouns denoting time, space and weight, as:

A week’s time, thirty minutes job, at an arm’s length, at a stone’s throw.

b) Dignified objects, as:- Country’s interest, heaven’s will, duty’s sake.

c) Personified objects, as:- Indian’s pride.

d) Some common phrase, as:- To one’s heart’s content.

ii) a) The possessive case of plural nouns which end in (s) is formed by the apostrophe (‘) as girls’ school, boys’ college.

b) Where the plural does not end in (s) the possessive case is formed by adding (s’) as:- men’s college, children’s park.

iii) Where a proper noun ends in (s) its possessive case is formed by adding apostrophe (‘) as Columbus ’ discovery.

iv) When a noun end in-‘ce’ or-‘ess’ and is followed by sake, only an apostrophe (‘) is used, as consciences’ sake, goodness’ sake.