THE GENITIVE AS A MODIFIER

Occasionally, the genitive acts as a modifier rather than as a determiner. This is

the case of the so-called “descriptive genitive” class of words which have a role similar to
that of noun modifiers and some adjective modifiers, e.g.
There are several women’s universities in Tokyo. (Quirk, 327) (… several
universities for women)
He wants to become a ship’s doctor when he grows up. (… a doctor working on a
ship)

The Omission of the Noun Accompanied by a Synthetic Genitive

The omission takes place:
a. when the noun has already been mentioned and the speaker wants to avoid repetition:
Is that Paul’s car? No, it’s Helen’s.
b. when the noun is represented by such words as house, office, church, shop:
the baker’s; St. Mary’s; the doctor’s; Peter’s etc.

The Analytical Genitive (The Prepositional Genitive)

It is formed with the help of the preposition of placed before the respective noun,
e.g. of the book, of John, of the seventeenth century.
The prepositional genitive is mostly the genitive of neuter nouns and it is
consequently used with nouns which do not denominate beings, e.g.
the colour of the book
However, by comparison with the ‘s genitive, this type of genitive can be used
with all nouns, inanimate and animate, but when one uses an analytical form instead of a
normally used synthetic form, the respective analytical form acquires a great degree of
emphasis.
 Uses of the Analytical Genitive instead of the Synthetic Genitive

a. In titles of books and in formal style to lay emphasis on the determined noun and give
amplitude to style:
A Version of The Oedipus Trilogy of Sophocles by Stephen Spender
b. when an adjective is substantivized:
the hopes of the young
the grievances of the old
c. when the name of the possessor is accompanied by a rather long attribute or by an
attributive clause:
the parents of the young man my daughter is going to marry
the car of the man living across the street
d. when the name of the possessed object is preceded by a demonstrative adjective:
Those clothes of the girls were specially designed for the graduation school parade.
e. to form, together with the ‘s genitive, a double genitive, which is used when the
possessor has more objects of the type mentioned. This type of double genitive can be
preceded by the definite article, a demonstrative adjective, a numeral or a negative
adjective:
a friend of his wife’s
this play of Shakespeare’s
three papers of his best students’
no word of his father’s
Obs. The double genitive is especially used in order to avoid possible confusions:
a portrait of Grigorescu (representing him – simple genitive)
a portrait of Grigorescu’s (done by him – double genitive)

THE DATIVE

The dative is the case which shows that an action or an attitude expressed by a
verb or by other parts of speech which have a verbal quality is directed towards a person
or a thing. From a syntactical point of view, the dative is an indirect object answering the
questions: whom? to whom? to which? and to what?
The preposition to is the characteristic preposition of the dative, just as the
preposition of is the characteristic preposition of the genitive. Together with a noun, the
preposition to forms the so-called prepositional dative:
Have you given the book to John? (to whom?)
They agreed to the ceasefire. (to what?)
To which plan do you refer? (to which?)
Obs.1 The preposition for (with the sense of to) is sometimes used as a preposition of the
dative case:
I bought flowers for Jane. (For whom?)
Obs.2 When the dative noun precedes an accusative noun, it does not get the preposition
to (or for) and this type of dative is called non-prepositional dative:
I gave Peter a second chance. (whom?)
Obs.3 One can use either the prepositional dative or the non-prepositional dative when the
accusative case which precedes the dative is expressed by an interrogative pronoun, e.g.
What did you give (to) the boy?
Obs.4 A number of verbs such as to bring, to give, to offer, to promise and to tell are used
with the prepositional or non-prepositional dative, depending on the speaker’s intentions
of emphasis, e.g.
I gave John a warning/ a warning to John.
Obs.5 A number of intransitive verbs are usually followed by the preposition to, in this
way asking for the use of the prepositional dative: to appeal to, to belong to, to occur to,
to remain to.
Obs.6 A number of transitive verbs followed by the preposition to also ask for the use of
the prepositional dative: to accustom smb. to, to ascribe smth. to, to dedicate smth. to, to
introduce smb. to, etc.
Obs.7 A number of verbs are only used with the non-prepositional dative: to afford
somebody something, to allow somebody something, to forgive somebody something, etc.
Obs.8 A number of nouns take the preposition to before a prepositional dative: adherence
to, advantage to, attachment to, contribution to, devotion to, inclination to, loyalty to,
surprise to
Obs.9 A number of adjectives are usually followed by the preposition to before a
prepositional dative: accessible to, advantageous to, blind to, deaf to, evident to, exposed
to, grateful to, inferior to, mysterious to, obedient to, open to, subject to, superior to,
susceptible to, visible to, vulnerable to.

THE ACCUSATIVE

The accusative is the case which shows the object (person or thing) which suffers
the action expressed by a transitive verb. It answers the questions whom? What? and
which? From a syntactical point of view it usually functions as the direct object of a
transitive verb:
They saw John ring the doorbell. (direct object)

Other Syntactical Functions of the Accusative

Since the accusative case is also the case governed by prepositions (with the
exception of the genitive and the dative to), it can also discharge other syntactical
functions than that of direct object:
a. part of an attribute:
a man of honour
b. part of a prepositional object
They put the proposal on the agenda. (on what?)
He suffered from the flu. (from what?)
c. part of an adverbial modifier
They started at dawn. (when?)

The Accusative of Content (Acuzativul Obiectului Interior)

 This type of accusative which is specific to the English language is expressed by
nouns which have a similar meaning with that of the predicative verb:
to live a life
to dream a dream
to die a death
to smile a smile
to laugh a laugh
The Double Accusative

The double accusative is expressed by a noun which denominates a person and

another noun which denominates a thing or an infinitive form, e.g.
I asked George a question/to go there.

The Nominative of Address

Whatever in other languages is considered a vocative case, in English is called the

nominative of address on account of its similitude in form with the nominative, e.g.
Taxi!; Waiter! Etc.
Obs. However, this type of nominative has zero determination (no article).
1. Fill the gaps with the possessive case of nouns. Decide whether you have to use 's or an of phrase.
boy's toy
1. The boy has a toy. → It's the .

2. Peter has a book. → It's .

3. The magazine has my picture on its cover. → My picture is on .

4. Our friends live in this house. → It's .

5. There is milk in the glass. → It's .

6. This house has a number. → What is ?

7. The walk lasts two hours. → It's .

8. John has a sister, Jane. → Jane is .

9. The film has a name, "Scream". → "Scream" is .

10. This school is for girls only. → It's a