USE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

1. The Possessive Case can be used in the following meanings:

· possession, e.g. John’s bicycle was stolen.

· regular use, e.g. Don’t sit on this chair. It’s father’s.

· origin, e.g. William Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into many languages.

· description, e.g. Jane goes to a women’s college.

· measurements, e.g. Bob went on a six-weeks’ vacation in Europe last year. BUT: A five-thousand dollar award is announced for the West Union Bank

robber.

2. Pronunciation: possessive endings in the singular are pronounced exactly like plural endings of regular nouns; in the plural there is no change in the pronunciation at all, e.g. my parents = my parents’ car.

3. There is zero article before the proper name if it is in the possessive case, e.g.

Peter’s new teacher; Virginia’s old house

4. Possessive case is usually used with the name of shops if the word shop is omitted:

Mary spent the whole day in the hairdresser’s before her school-leaving party.

There was no bread at the baker’s this morning.

5. If possession, origin, description or measurement refer to a whole group of words, the“apostrophe + s” is added to the last word, e.g.

We decided to have the New Year party in Jane and David’s house.

Peter promised to be back in an hour or two’s time.

This is the man I saw yesterday’s son.

6. The“apostrophe + s”andthe“s + apostrophe”can also have the meaning of “some place”, e.g.

my uncle’s ( = my uncle’s house); at the Browns’ (= in the Browns’ house).

7. It is also possible to use two nouns in the possessive case in a row, e.g.

What is your friend’s sister’s name?

My brother’s neighbour’s sister is a nurse.

8. The double possessive = of + noun’s

· This use can be compared with “he is a friend of mine”, and “she is a friend of his”, e.g.

Mr. Smith is a friend of my father’s. = Мистер Смит – один из друзей моего отца.

What would you like to see at the theatre? – A play of Shakespeare’s. = Одну из пьес Шекспира.

· The use of a demonstrative pronoun alongside with the double possessive often suggests criticism, e.g.

That silly uncle of Henry’s has told me the same joke five times.

9. There are also some traditional set expressions with the possessive case, which are worth knowing. Learn them by heart:

· for heaven’s sake/ for God’s sake = Ради Бога

· to do smth to one’s heart’s delight/content/desire = вволю

· to be at one's wit's end/ to bring /to drive/ to one's wit s' end = совершенно растеряться/ поставить кого-то в тупик

· to be a stone’s throw away – в двух шагах = очень близко

· a child’s play = пустяковое дело, легкая задача

· to be at death’s door – на пороге смерти

· to be a cat’s paw/ to make a cat's paw of smb – слепое орудие в чужих руках

· to keep someone at one’s arm’s length – держать кого-то на почтительном расстоянии

· at the water’s edge – у кромки воды

· a needle’s eye/point – игольное ушко; острие булавки

· to move at a snail’s pace = ползти как черепаха

· to keep out of harm’s way – держаться от греха подальше