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The case of a noun indicates the position of that noun in a sentence. It indicate the relation of the noun or pronoun to the other words in the English sentence. Thus, noun case is one of the means showing the syntactic function of the noun in the sentence.
The nouns in the English language are used in the cases as the following
The nominative case
When a noun is used as the subject of a sentence, it is in the nominative case.
- Mary is the best student in the class (Mary is a proper noun in nominative case)
- The workers are working hard in the factory (word “workers” is a common noun in nominative case).
- She is talking with a handsome man (“she” is a pronoun in nominative case).
Objective case
is the case in which the noun is used as the direct object of verb or direct object of preposition in the sentence.
- We saw Peter in the concert hall
- We help the workers to learn new skills
- I love Anna
- I met your brother
- The book is on the table (“table” is in objective case and it is the object or preposition “on”)
- This is one of my policies (“policies” is in objective case and it is the object of preposition “of”)/
However, in modern English, the nominative case and the objective case can be called the common case. The common case has a very general and indefinite meaning. The noun in common case may have various functions in the sentence, which are defined syntactically by means of word order and prepositions.
More examples:
- The workers finished their work and went home (subject)
- It was a bright, clear and sunny morning (part of complement)
- She gave the children some apples and pears (direct and indirect object)
- He sent a letter to his new girl-friend (direct and indirect of object)
- They looked at the picture that was hung on the wall (prepositional object)
- The children ran to the river to swim (part of adverbial modifier)
- The letter was written by an old friend of mine (preposition object)
- The door of that room was firmly locked (attribute)
- Thi is an old brick house (attribute).
Possessive case
is the case which expresses the possession of ownership. A noun or pronoun in the possessive case is governed by the noun that follows it. In modern English, the use of possessive case is restricted chiefly to nouns referring to occupation, people, animals, time, distance and its syntactically function is exclusively that of an attribute.
Xét các ví dụ:
- Anna’s handbag is on the table over there
- The farmer’s crop this year is very successful
- This is your book
- It is my idea
- Linda’s sister is very beautiful
But even within the attribute function, with nouns expressing living beings, the meanings of possessive case is the lexical meaning of the words. The possessive case is formed by and apostrophe and “s” to the singular nouns and plural nouns without ending “s”.
- The student’s book
- A three mile’s distance
- A day’s journey
- Students’ club
- The doctors’ room
The use of two possessive cases is also possible:
- My brother’s neighbors’ sister is a doctor
Double possessive case in the combination “of + possessive case”
– She is a new friend of Mary’s
- The room of his brother’s wife ….
- That brother of his is looking for trouble himself
The pronunciation of the ending “s” in possessive case is similar to that of the plural nouns.
Dative case
It the case when the noun is the indirect object of the verb. (Indirect object of the verb is the noun for whom or for which the action of the verb is carried out). There should not be a preposition before the indirect object because in that case it will be the object of that preposition.
Xét ví dụ:
- The Director gave the staffs few documents. (“staffs” is in dative case. It is the indirect object of the verb ‘give’)
- The Waiter brought me a cup of coffee. (“cup of coffee” is in dative case)
- Get him a pencil. (“Him” is in dative case)
Vocative case
is the case when a noun or pronoun is used to call (or to get the attention of) a person or persons.
Xét ví dụ:
- Mr. Janes, students are waiting for you in the main hall. (“Mr. Janes” is in vocative case).
- You there, stand up. (“You” is in vocative case).
- Sister, a letter for you. (“Sister” is in vocative case).
- Chairman, all the guests are at the meeting room. (“Chairman” is in vocative case).
Ghi chú:– Chia sẻ để mọi người cùng học và trao đổi.