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Hela Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
genitive
Dear teachers,
Would you please have a look at my exercise? Would you have MORE sentences for me to do?
Rewrite these sentences using a genitive whenever it is possible and making the necessary changes.
1) The goal of Bill Clinton is to make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
Bill Clinton'S goal is to make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
2) The short-term costs of immigration are very high. NO CHANGE (?)
3) The figures published last year show an increase in the number of Asian immigrants. NO CHANGE ?
4) Romeo and Juliet forfeit their lives partly as a result of the hatred and the prejudice of their parents. (is this sentence correct ?)
Romeo and Juliet forfeit their lives partly as a result of their parentS' hatred and prejudice.
5) The leader of the students was an excellent speaker. NO CHANGE
Thanks a lot,
Hela
Would you please have a look at my exercise? Would you have MORE sentences for me to do?
Rewrite these sentences using a genitive whenever it is possible and making the necessary changes.
1) The goal of Bill Clinton is to make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
Bill Clinton'S goal is to make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
2) The short-term costs of immigration are very high. NO CHANGE (?)
3) The figures published last year show an increase in the number of Asian immigrants. NO CHANGE ?
4) Romeo and Juliet forfeit their lives partly as a result of the hatred and the prejudice of their parents. (is this sentence correct ?)
Romeo and Juliet forfeit their lives partly as a result of their parentS' hatred and prejudice.
5) The leader of the students was an excellent speaker. NO CHANGE
Thanks a lot,
Hela
Top answer
Hi Hela, I'd say that in these cases you can use either, and it becomes a question of formality and style. Do you have a different understanding? Best wishes, Clive
- Hi Hela, I'd say that in these cases you can use either, and it becomes a question of formality and style.
- Do you have a different understanding?
- Best wishes, Clive
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35 Answers
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Hi Hela,
I'd say that in these cases you can use either, and it becomes a question of formality and style.
Do you have a different understanding?
Best wishes, Clive
I'd say that in these cases you can use either, and it becomes a question of formality and style.
Do you have a different understanding?
Best wishes, Clive
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HelaDear teachers,
Would you please have a look at my exercise? Would you have MORE sentences for me to do?
Rewrite these sentences using a genitive whenever it is possible and making the necessary changes.
1) The goal of Bill Clinton is to make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
Bill Clinton'S goal is to make a di
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I'd agree with Clive: they're all possible.
2) Immigration's short-term costs are very high.
– this sounds ok to me. I can imagine an MP saying it, in an interview; or you might find it in an article.
5) The students' leader was an excellent speaker.
– this too. "The students' leader" googles up some similar examples.
MrP
2) Immigration's short-term costs are very high.
– this sounds ok to me. I can imagine an MP saying it, in an interview; or you might find it in an article.
5) The students' leader was an excellent speaker.
– this too. "The students' leader" googles up some similar examples.
MrP
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So you think that all five sentences can take the possessive case? Even #3 ?
3) The figures published last year show an increase in the number of Asian immigrants. =
Last year's figures show an increase in Asian immigrants' numbers. possible ?
Now we said that tim
3) The figures published last year show an increase in the number of Asian immigrants. =
Last year's figures show an increase in Asian immigrants' numbers. possible ?
Now we said that tim
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Hello Hela
Sorry, I missed that!
You might possibly hear a phrase such as "Asian immigrants' numbers" in terse journalistic reporting; but on the whole, "the number of" isn't "genitivised" in this way.
I'm not quite sure why this is, or why phrases such as "the day's time" aren't used (except sometimes in poetry). I'll have to think about it!
As for the "genit
Sorry, I missed that!
You might possibly hear a phrase such as "Asian immigrants' numbers" in terse journalistic reporting; but on the whole, "the number of" isn't "genitivised" in this way.
I'm not quite sure why this is, or why phrases such as "the day's time" aren't used (except sometimes in poetry). I'll have to think about it!
As for the "genit
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Dear MrP and all the other teachers,
1) So what we call "the genitive case" is the apostrophe s and the relative whose, and the "possessive case" is any expression with of to express possession? Would you please give me sentences where we CANNOT use the 's but rather the of form?
2) Would you please tell me more about factors concerning abstract nouns
1) So what we call "the genitive case" is the apostrophe s and the relative whose, and the "possessive case" is any expression with of to express possession? Would you please give me sentences where we CANNOT use the 's but rather the of form?
2) Would you please tell me more about factors concerning abstract nouns
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0 Dear teachers, 02 br
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00 In addition to my questions above, would you please tell me why we cannot use the possessive case in the following sentence? 02 br
02 br
00 The success of personal computing is 01 u 00 the accomplishment of Bill Gates 02 u 00 . (and not Bill Gates’(s) accomplishement?) 02 br
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00 Thanks a lot, 02
02 br
00 In addition to my questions above, would you please tell me why we cannot use the possessive case in the following sentence? 02 br
02 br
00 The success of personal computing is 01 u 00 the accomplishment of Bill Gates 02 u 00 . (and not Bill Gates’(s) accomplishement?) 02 br
02 br
00 Thanks a lot, 02
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0 Hello Hela 02 br
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01 i 00 1) So what we call "the genitive case" is the apostrophe s and the relative 01 b 00 whose 02 b 00 , and the "possessive case" is any expression with 01 b 00 of 02 b 00 to express possession? Would you please give me sentences where we CANNOT use the 01 b 00 's 02 b 00 but rather the 01 b
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01 i 00 1) So what we call "the genitive case" is the apostrophe s and the relative 01 b 00 whose 02 b 00 , and the "possessive case" is any expression with 01 b 00 of 02 b 00 to express possession? Would you please give me sentences where we CANNOT use the 01 b 00 's 02 b 00 but rather the 01 b
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0 Thank you very much for your answer. That's great. 02 br
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00 1) The example which was given under "human activity" (it would be better to find another explanation or heading perhaps) is "science's influence" and "my life's aim". But what is "a duty's call"? 02 br
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00 2) I didn't really understand the following point, what do you mean by "objects exertin
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00 1) The example which was given under "human activity" (it would be better to find another explanation or heading perhaps) is "science's influence" and "my life's aim". But what is "a duty's call"? 02 br
02 br
00 2) I didn't really understand the following point, what do you mean by "objects exertin
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0 Hi Paco, since you're good at maths, would you please explain this to me? 02 br
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00 "The angle between the earth's equator and the plane of its orbit is 23 degrees 27 minutes." 02 br
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00 Do we need to capitalise "earth" here? Anyone could tell me when I should capitalize "earth" or not? 02 br
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00 All the best, 02 br
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02 br
00 "The angle between the earth's equator and the plane of its orbit is 23 degrees 27 minutes." 02 br
02 br
00 Do we need to capitalise "earth" here? Anyone could tell me when I should capitalize "earth" or not? 02 br
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00 All the best, 02 br
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