THE NOUN CASE

   'THE NOUN CASE'

    

Definition: The functions of the noun is known as its case. 

What are the functions of the noun? 

The functions of the noun are as under:

1. Nominative Case :

When a noun functions as a subject of the verb, it is called Nominative case. 

Examples: 

1. Marie eats her food. 

2. He writes a letter. 

3. The boy stole my watch. 

4. Ronald is playing football. 

 

In these sentences, the words Marie, he, boy and Ronald are used as subjects of verbs 'eats', 'writes', 'stole', and 'playing', so all these subjects are in Nominative Case. 

2. Objective or Accusative Case : 

When a noun functions of an object of the verb, it is said to be in objective case. 

Examples: 

1. She sees a deer. 

2. I bought a mobile-set. 

3. He wrote three letters. 

4. Mother cooks food. 

 

In these sentences the words 'deer', 'mobile-set', 'letters', and 'food' are used as objectives of the verbs of sees, bought, wrote and cooks respectively so all these are in objective case. 

                Direct and Indirect Objects:

Read the following sentences-

1. He gave me a book. 

2. The teacher taught the girls English. 

3. David gave her a purse. 

4. I bought these gifts for her. 

In the above sentences there are two objects. 

The first objects 'me' in sentence 1 and 'girls' in sentence 2 are living things so they are called Indirect Objects. 

The object 'purse' in sentence 3 and 'gifts' in sentence 4 are non living things and hence are called Direct Objects. 

3. Possessive Case (Genetive Case) :

When a noun shows possession over another noun it is called Possessive case. 

Examples:

1. Harry's leg is wounded due to an accident. 

2. I like Wordsworth's poetry. 

3. It is Girls' hostel. 

In the above sentences the use of Harry's, Wordsworth's and Girls' are used in forms of possessive case. 

Note: To show possessive case an apostrophe ( ' ) is used. 

Formation of Possessive Case:

 

1. We use  ('s) at the end of singular nouns to make it possessive case. 

For example : Father's car, cat's tail, king's crown, etc. 

2. We use only ( ' ) at the end of plural nouns ending in 's'. 

For example: Boys' hostel, teachers's rooms, etc. 

3. We use apostrophe ( 's) at the end of plural nouns not ending in 's'. 

For example: woman's club, children's park, etc. 

4. Possessive Case of non- living things are not formed by adding 's' at their ends. 

For example: the pages of the books, the glass of the window, etc. 

5. The possessive case of nouns which denotes time, space and weight are formed by adding 's' at their end. 

For example: a day's work, a week's leave, etc. 

4. Nominative Of Address:

When a noun, particularly the name of the person spoken to or addressed, is said to be in the Vocative Case or the Nominative of Address. 

Examples: 

1.Come here, Tom. 

2. Girls, do as I say. 

3. Julie, wait here till I return. 

In above sentences Tom, Girls and Julie are addressed to, so all these are used as Nominative of Address. 

5. Case in Apposition:

If two nouns referring to the same person or thing are in apposition, one is placed immediately after the other, without a joining word or Conjunction, it is said to be Case in Apposition.

Examples:

1. Kabir, the great Hindi poet, was a reformer. 

2. Rocky, his son is a naughty boy. 

3. Padamani, the queen of Ratan Singh, was extremely beautiful. 

In sentence 1, 'Kabir' and 'the great poet' refer to the same person. 

In sentence 2, 'Rocky' and 'his son' refer to the same person. 

In sentence 3, 'Padamani' and 'the queen of Ratan Singh' refer to the same person. 

So the great poet is in apposition of Kabir. 

So his son is in apposition of Rocky.

So the queen of Ratan Singh is in apposition of Padamani. 

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