Grammar Aware

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GENITIVE FORMATION IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR 3

6. Inanimate Objects
Traditionally, the genitive case was not used for inanimate objects. Instead, the "of" construction was preferred. But in contemporary English, it's acceptable, especially for expressions of time and measurement.
Examples:
• A day’s work
• Two weeks’ notice
• A stone’s throw

7. Double Possessive
A construction with "of" and the genitive can be used to emphasize the individual among a general group or category.
Example:
• A friend of my father’s (This indicates one friend out of several friends my father has.)

8. Apostrophe Placement with Compound Nouns
For compound nouns, the possessive form is typically applied to the final element.
Example:
• My mother-in-law’s hat
• The attorney general’s decision

GENITIVE FORMATION IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR 2

3. Irregular Plural Nouns
For plural nouns that do not end in -s (e.g., men, children), you would typically add ’s.
Example:
• Men --- men’s (The men’s room.)
• Children --- children’s (The children’s toys.)

4. Proper Nouns Ending in "S"
For proper nouns (especially names) ending in -s, both forms (apostrophe + s and apostrophe only) can be found, although 's is often more common in modern usage.
Examples:
Lucas --- Lucas’s or Lucas’ (Lucas’s car or Lucas’ car)
Jones --- Jones’s or Jones’ (The Jones’s house or The Jones’ house)

5. Joint Possession vs. Separate Possession
If two or more entities possess something jointly, only the final noun takes the possessive form. If they possess separate things, each noun takes the possessive form.

Joint Possession Example:
• Uche and Ola’s pail (They share one pail.)
Separate Possession Example:
• Uche’s and Ola’s hats (They each have their own hat.)

GENITIVE FORMATION IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR 1

The genitive case (often termed the possessive case in English) is an integral component of English grammar, used to indicate relationships of possession and belonging. English primarily uses the addition of an apostrophe followed by “s” (and sometimes just an apostrophe) to indicate this possessive form.

It’s important to note that genitive formation in English, while primarily associated with possession, actually encompasses a broader range of relationships, including origin, description, and others. Its formation can vary based on singular/plural status, the type of noun, and even context.

As with many elements of the English language, while there are rules, there are also exceptions, and it’s often in the exceptions that the problems of learners become rife.
Below are some sketchy details you need to internalize to be able to navigate the genitive grammar of English,

1. Standard Singular Nouns
For most singular nouns, the genitive is formed by adding ’s to the end of the word.
Example:
• dog --- dog’s (The dog’s bone.)
• girl --- girl’s (The girl’s book.)

2. Standard Plural Nouns
For plural nouns that end in -s, you typically add only an apostrophe.
Example:
• dogs --- dogs’ (The dogs’ toys.)
• girls --- girls’ (The girls’ room.)

The vehicle in the attached picture is called a Hilux pickup or simply Hilux.

"Hilux" is a word created from a blend of "high" and "luxury" (high+luxury = hi+lux). This may be new information to you.

How do you pronounce the word? Try pronouncing it.

Did I hear you say "he-lorks"? That's exactly how many people pronounce it, but it's incorrect.

The correct pronunciation is
/hai-luhks/ (as in high+lux).

This is a disruptive piece of info to many.

Be aware: 'From now henceforth' is a tautological phrase. Don't use it.

Break a leg, Super Eagles !

A Reminder:
Add these words to your active vocabulary.

The answer to the question below is option (A) 'are'

Neither the poor nor the rich __________ finding this economy easy.
A) are
B) is
C) has been
D) are not

I will explain.

Since the correct answer is (A) ‘are’, the complete sentence would be: "Neither the poor nor the rich are finding this economy easy."

In this sentence, "neither...nor" is a correlative conjunction that connects two elements (the poor and the rich). When two subjects are connected by "nor," the verb should agree with the closer subject (in this case, "the rich"). But, is “the rich” plural? Yes, it is considered plural, so the verb becomes "are."

“The rich” a plural subject? Yes.

Here is the explanation:

When a subject or noun phrase is composed of the definite article 'the' followed by an adjective (without a noun it’s modifying), it often implies a generalisation about a group of people. In such cases, the assumption is that the missing noun is 'people' or a plural noun referring to a group of individuals.

For example:
1. "The rich are (not ‘is’) not hungry."
2. "The elderly need (not ‘needs’) assistance."

In both sentences, "the rich" and "the elderly" are considered plural subjects, and the assumption is that the missing noun is 'people.' These constructions are used to make general statements about a particular group without specifying individuals.

It's important to note that this rule is a common pattern, especially when discussing social groups or categories of people in English grammar.

REMEMBER:

Test yourself

Neither the poor nor the rich __________ finding this economy easy.

A) are
B) is
C) has been
D) are not
👇👇👇
Answer (A)

Sever vs Severe

Sever (verb)
To sever means to separate or break, especially suddenly, by cutting or slicing.

“Peter pulled his sword and severed the left ear of Marcus.”
“The US has severed its relationship with Iraq.”
“The company threatened to sever the gas supply to the estate.”

Severe (Adjective)
(Used to qualify something bad or undesirable) Severe means 'extreme,' 'very difficult,' or 'very serious.'

"She experienced severe back pain."
"The crisis resulted in a severe food shortage in the community."

It also means ‘very strict’ or ‘very harsh’.
“Mr. Obed can be severe at times.”
“Challenging him will have a severe consequence.”