English Grammar: Noun Case (कारक)
1. The 3 Basic Cases
1. Subjective (Nominative)
Noun acts as the Doer/Subject.
Mohan Sub will help Nitin.
2(a) Objective (Accusative or Direct object)
Noun acts as the Object (after Verb or Preposition).
Kirti challenged Priya Obj.
Rohan is accused of theft Obj.
2(b) Objective (Dative or Indirect object)
The person/thing *for whom* action is done.
Kirti gave Priya Obj a pen.
The teacher showed the students Obj a map.
3. Vocative (Addressal)
Noun used to Call/Address someone.
Praveen Voc, focus on class!
Don’t go there, Karan Voc.
2. Possessive Case (Genitive)
Shows Ownership / Relationship / Part (का, के, की).
A. Living vs. Non-Living Rule
| Living Noun (Use ‘s) | Non-Living Noun (Use ‘Of’) |
|---|---|
|
Rahul’s father Karan’s car |
Car’s tyre → Tyre of car Reason: Non-living things cannot “own” anything. |
| Cow’s milk |
Table’s legs → Legs of table Wall’s paint → Paint of wall |
⚠️ Exceptions (Non-Living + ‘s is Allowed):
We allow ‘s with non-living things if they are Personified, Time, Weight, Place, or Idioms.
We allow ‘s with non-living things if they are Personified, Time, Weight, Place, or Idioms.
- ✅ Place: Delhi’s population / China’s culture / Jaipur’s lakes.
- ✅ Time: New Year’s party / A week’s holiday / Today’s news.
- ✅ Idioms: At a stone’s throw / At arm’s length.
- ✅ Weight: A ton’s weight.
- ✅ Celestial: Earth’s gravity / Sun’s rays.
B. The “Hissing Sound” Rule (Sibilance)
Do not use ‘s if the word ends with a Hissing Sound (s, sh, z, ce) AND is Plural.
1. Singular Noun (Any Sound)
You can use ‘s even if it ends in S.
✅ Vikas’s father (Singular person)
✅ Paras’s room (Singular)
✅ Boss’s cabin
You can use ‘s even if it ends in S.
✅ Vikas’s father (Singular person)
✅ Paras’s room (Singular)
✅ Boss’s cabin
2. Plural Noun (Ending in S)
Use only Apostrophe (‘). No ‘s.
✅ Boys’ hostel (Not Boys’s)
✅ Candidates’ list
✅ Girls’ common room
Use only Apostrophe (‘). No ‘s.
✅ Boys’ hostel (Not Boys’s)
✅ Candidates’ list
✅ Girls’ common room
Note: If Plural does not end in S, use ‘s (e.g., Children’s park, Women’s hostel).
C. Sequential Possession (The Chain Rule)
Rule: Never use double apostrophes (N1’s N2’s). Structure it using “Of”.
| ❌ Incorrect Structure | ✅ Correct Structure |
|---|---|
| Rahul’s friend’s father died. | The father of Rahul’s friend died. |
| Neha’s neighbour’s house burnt. | The house of Neha’s neighbour burnt. |
D. Compound Noun Rule
Rule: Add ‘s only to the LAST word of the group.
- ✅ Brother-in-law‘s car. (Not Brother’s-in-law)
- ✅ Commander-in-Chief‘s orders.
- ✅ Member of Parliament‘s speech.
- ✅ Passer-by‘s comments.
E. Noun in Apposition Rule
- ❌ Tagore, the poet’s, house
- ✅ Tagore the poet‘s house (Possession belongs to Tagore, but the mark goes on the description).
F. Common vs. Split Possession
This rule depends on whether the item belongs to them Jointly or Separately.
| Type | Rule | Example & Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Common Possession (Joint Owners) |
N1 + N2 + ‘s |
Ram and Shyam’s car. (1 Car shared by both) Sonakshi and Zaheer’s wedding. |
| Split Possession (Separate Owners) |
N1‘s + N2‘s |
Ram’s and Shyam’s cars. (2 distinct cars, one for each) India’s and China’s culture. |
G. The “Double Genitive” (Advanced)
Is there a difference between “A painting of Ram” and “A painting of Ram’s”?
- A painting of Ram: Ram is the person inside the painting (Image).
- A painting of Ram’s: Ram owns the painting (Ownership).
- A friend of mine: Correct (Double possessive: Of + Mine).
Indefinite Pronouns + Else:
When “Else” follows Somebody, Anybody, No one, etc., the apostrophe goes on “Else”.❌ This is somebody’s else book.
✅ This is somebody else’s book.
❌ Who’s else can it be?
✅ Who else’s can it be?
When “Else” follows Somebody, Anybody, No one, etc., the apostrophe goes on “Else”.