Possessive case definition Types & their example
POSSESSIVE CASE
POSSESSIVE CASE
A possessive case shows that a noun in the possessive case when it denotes the ” Ownership ” with the use of ” ‘s “. A noun can turn from a simple character, place, or thing to a person, place, or thing that owns something. Possessive Case is applied with Nouns, Pronouns, and Determiners is called Possessive Case.

Conditions of Possessive Case
There are three conditions of the ( Possive ) cases.
1: Possessive Nouns
2: Possessive Pronouns
3: Possessive determiners
1: Possessive Nouns:
The Possessive Nouns are used with ” Noun ” and it is ordinarily shown with ” of “ and adding of ” ‘s ” and ( ‘ ) just it is for the ending is called possessive nouns.
Examples:
1: A cat’s bone.
2: A man’s clothing.
3: A elephant’s mane.
2: Possessive Pronouns:
A possessive pronoun is a word that is used at the place of a noun or a noun phrase) and it shows the ownership is called Possessive Pronoun. Some possessive Pronouns are referred to as ” mine “, ” Yours “, ” his “, ” hers “, ” its “, ” ours “, and ” theirs “.
Examples:
1: Theirs are bags in the school.
2: Yours are larger than ours.
3: Possessive determiners:
The determinants of the ( passive ) case are ” I “, ” your “, ” her “, ” she “, ” her “, ” ours ” and ” her “. (Attribute determiners are known as possessive determiners in traditional grammar.) is called possessive determiners.
Example:
1: He likes your heart.
2: I think her cat is eaten my dag.
Possessive Case of Singular Noun
There are two Cases of Possessive Case of Singular noun
1: Singular Noun Not Ending in ( s )
2: Singular Noun Ending in ( -s )
1: Singular Noun Not Ending in ( s ):
A singular noun that does not ends in ( s ), We add with them is ( ‘s ), to make a Possessive Case.
Examples:
Possessive Case | Other changes |
---|---|
My aunt’s house | the house of my aunt |
The king’s palace | the palace of the king |
My dad’s car | the car of my dad |
A child’s voice | the voice of a child |
A Shirly’s bag | the bag of a Shirly |
the cat’s tail | the tail of the cat |
the horse’s saddle | the saddle of the horse |
2: Singular Noun Ending in ( -s ):
A Singular Noun that ends in ( s ), We can add ( ‘ ) or ( ‘s ) both are acceptable. However, ( ‘s ) is preferred if its addition does not make a word sound very awkward.
Example:
Possessive Case | Other Changes |
---|---|
Mr Das’s/Das’ car | the car of Mr Das |
Yeat’s/Yeat’s poetry | the poetry of Yeats |
The class’s/class’ hour | the class hour |
Mr Jones’s/Mr Jones’ golf club | the golf club of Mr Jones |
The Canvas’s/Canvas’ size | the size of Canvas |
Texas’s/Texas’s weather | the weather of Texas |
NOTE:
Classical names ending in ( s ) usually add only the apostrophe ( For instance ) Pythagoras’ Theorem, Archimedes’ Law, Sophocles’ play.
Complexities with the Possessive Case
The reasons for post-session are often controversial among grammarians. The main questions are:
Q No 1: Does the same domain proceed? The answer is: Yes
The terms ” genitive case “ and ” possessive case “ can be used interchangeably. as the ( possive case ) quite usually has nothing to accomplish with possession. Now some grammarians distinguish ” possession case “ and ” genitive case “ because possessions often do not possess possessions.
Examples:
1: He used red’s colour to shine Monet’s paintings.
Here, ( There are two examples of the possive cases in the above sentence. 2nd example, So, tells us the painting were painted by Monet’s. it doesn’t suggest that Monet owned them. some grammarians would call the genitive case as opposed to the possive case).
Q No 2: Pronouns are the types of Possessive Case?
Possessive determiners (” my “, ” your “, ” her “, ” his “, ” its “, ” our ” and ” their “) function as pronouns (i.e. they act as pronouns to replace with nouns). Therefore there are also possessive pronouns. They can confuse possessive pronouns because they have been given ” mine “, ” yours “, ” his, ” ” hers,” “ its,” ” ours,” and ” theirs.”).
Here at ” greatgramar.com “, we classify them all as ” Possessive case ” and Future categorizes them into two sub-groups and use modifiers of the possessive (” my “, ” your “, etc.) and possessive pronouns ( ” mine “, ” yours “, etc. To avoid this confusion, some grammarians call ” my “, ” your “, and so on.
Possessive Nouns are used as Apostrophes
VARIETIES | POSSESSIVE CASE | EXAMPLES |
---|---|---|
Singular Nouns | Dog’s dinner | Dog |
Plurals Nouns | Dogs’ dinner | Dogs |
Singular Nouns ends with ( s ) | Chris’ hat or Chris’s hat | Chris |
Plural Nouns does not end with ( s ) | People’s rights | People |
Why do you care about the property of possessive case?
If you’re learning a foreign language, it’s useful to familiarize yourself with the possessive English language. For property is a good principle for understanding how to handle foreign languages.
Here are 5 more nice reasons for possessive causes.
( 1st Reason ) When using the apostrophe for possession, he placed it in its suitable place.
See the apostrophe in the example below. These are different sides of ” s “, but both are true.
1: The cat’s kennel.
2: The cats’ kennel.
So, Does the possessive apostrophe has come before and after the ” s “, I am giving you the Basic Rule of it.
The apostrophe has comes before the ” s ” for a singular possession (e.g 1: one cat’s kennel) and after the ” s ” when it’s more than one possession (e.g 2: two dogs’ kennel).
Be conscious that ” cat ” and ” cats ” both are possessors. The role of the apostrophe has nothing to do with the “kennel.” The thing being contained can be singular or plural nouns. It has no impact whatsoever on the apostrophe.
Examples:
- One girl’s dinner. ( it is correct )
- One girl’s dinners. ( it is correct )
- Two girls’ dinner. ( it is correct )
- Two girls’ dinners. ( it is correct )
More careful here, There are two basic exceptions to the rule.
(1st Exception ): The Plural nouns form words that do not end with ” s ”
When the Plural nouns form of words that don’t end with ” s ” so, like this ( people, men, women, children, ) the possessive apostrophe is placed before the ” s “.
Examples:
- Children’s ground
- Man’s shoes
- People’s right
- Women’s thinking
( 2nd Exception ): The Singular nouns form of words that end with ” s “
When the Singular nouns form of words that end with ” s ” so, like this ( Moses, Wells, Wales, Chris ) but the possessive form is written as with the adding ” ‘ ” or ” ‘s ” this is the possessive form.
1: Chris has a wells’ attitude.
Here, ( this is a correct sentence all those who say ” Chris has a wells’ attitude ” ).
2: Chris has a wells’s attitude.
Here, ( this is a correct sentence all those who say ” Chris ha a Welliz attitude ” ).
Be conscious that some type of compasses state you shouldn’t use the ” ‘s ” arrangement for religious symbols. So, if you’re emitting about the likes of ” Jesus or Moses “, you might want to opt for the ” Jesus’ and Moses’ ” arrangements (as opposed to Jesus’s and Moses’s).
( 2nd Reason ) Don’t add an apostrophe because it ends with ” s “
This is a common mistake over here and it is a grammatical howler. the mistake is commonly seen with the plural form of nouns, but it is happen with the verbs too ( e.g ) ” He walk’s to garden “ ( this is the wrong sentence ).
Examples:
- I like colour’s, pig’s, cat’s, book’s look at this ( these are wrongs ).
Here, ( I like colours, pigs, cats, books look at this ( these are corrected).
- A spoken word is not a bird. Once it fly’s out, you cannot catch it. but ( this is wrong )
Here, ( A spoken word is not a bird. Once it flies out, you cannot catch it. ( this is correct ). here is a little mistake with the verb too ( it should be ” flies “ ).
- Tomato’s and orange make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French; garlic makes it better food.
Here, ( Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French; garlic makes it better food ). little common mistake over here with nouns that is ends with vowel sounds ( e.g ) ” video’s , banana’s both are wrongs “.
( 3rd Reason ) Don’t be Confuse with Possessive determiners with a similar sound of Contractions
Irregular possessive determiners sound like these contractions that feature apostrophes. Do not get them combined with up.
Here, Remember that there are no apostrophes in any possive determiners.
Main Confusing:
1: Don’t be confused with it’s and its:
The contraction of ” it’s ” has nothing to do with possession with it, ( i.e ) it is not a possessive determiner. “ It’s ” is the short form of ” it is “ or “ it has ” This is a good rule of it. If you can’t develop your ” it’s ” to “ it is ” or ” it has ” then it’s wrong.
- A city can be absorb by the quality of it’s proverbs. ( it is wrong )
2: Don’t Be confused with ” your ” and ” you’re “
“ you’re ” is the short form of ” you are ” If you can’t develop your ” you’re ” to ” you are “ then it’s wrong.
- Even, if he fall on you’re face. You’re still moving forward. ( this is wrong )
Here, in this sentence, the first ” you’re ” is absolutely wrong and the second ” you’re ” is correct.
3: Don’t Be confused with ” there “ and ” they’re “
” They’re ” is a short form of ” they are ” If you can’t develop your ” they’re ” to “they are,” then it’s wrong of this.
- Pardon your enemies, but never forget by there real names. ( this is wrong )
( 4rth Reason ) Don’t put Apostrophe over here like this ( heres, theirs, ours, yours )
There is no Apostrophe over here in possessive pronouns.
- These are their’s. but ( this is wrong )
Here, ( These are theirs. ( this is correct )
- Our’s are ample superior to their’s. ( this is wrong )
Here, ( Ours are ample superior to theirs. ( this is correct )
( 5th Reason ) Don’t use His/Here
Remember these sentences:
- Each senior is responsible for his/her guests. but ( this is wrong )
Here, ( this is clumsy and outdated )
When your singular person would be male and female then you use ” their ” with them.
- Each senior is responsible for their guests. ( this is correct ).
Related Topics:
1: Vocative case definition usage & examples
2: Possessive case definition Types & their example
3: Dative case definition Rules & their examples
4: Genitive case definition Rules & their examples
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