Cases in English


What is the meaning of Case in English?

Grammatical case in the English language shows the functions of nouns and pronouns. In other words, the use of a word as the subject or object of a sentence is referred to as its case. Likewise, the use of a word to show ownership or the use of a word to address someone directly is also called a case. Look at the following examples carefully and try to understand how the word, noun or pronoun used, either as a subject or object or whether to show ownership or to address someone directly. 


In the following examples, ‘Ram’ is used as the subject of the sentence, ‘you’ is used as the object, ‘My car’ is used to show ownership or possession and ‘Rahul’ is used to address him directly. 


Examples:

(a) Ram will come tomorrow. (Ram: the subject of the sentence) 

(b) I've told you about it. (You: the object of the sentence) 

(c) My car is parked there. (My: to show possession) 

(d) Rahul, come here. (Rahul: to address him directly) 


Types of Grammatical Cases in English  

1. Subjective case 

It is the case in which nouns and pronouns are used as the subjects of sentences. 


Examples:

(a) Ram is a good student. (Ram= subject of the verb, ‘Is’ in subjective case) 

(b) Rahul goes to school daily. (Rahul= subject of the verb, ‘goes’ in subjective case) 

(c) He has completed his assignment. (He= subject of the verb, ‘completed’ in subjective case) 


2. Objective case

It is the case in which nouns and pronouns are used as the objects of sentences. 


Examples:

(a) Ram told him about it. (Him= object of the verb, ‘told’ in objective case) 

(b) I told Ram about it. (Ram = object of the verb, ‘told’ in objective case) 


Note:- objects are of two types, 1. Direct Object 2. Indirect Object 

Example: 

I gave him money” ( money = direct object and him = indirect object) 


3. Possessive case

It is the case in which nouns and pronouns are used to show ownership or possession. In other words, the possessive case shows that something belongs to someone. 


Examples:

(a) This car is mine. (Mine: in possessive case) 

(b) Ram's dream has come true. (Ram's: in possessive case) 


4. Vocative case

It is the case in which nouns and pronouns are addressed directly. 


Note:- In the vocative case, using a comma is compulsory, otherwise the meaning will change. 

 

Examples:

Ram, come here. (Ram, : in vocative case) 

You, fool. Listen to me. (You: in vocative case) 


Changes in Nouns & Pronouns Due to Different Cases 

1. (a) In subjective, objective and vocative cases, nouns are used without any change in their forms. 

Examples: 

(a) Ram goes to school daily. (No change in Ram in subjective case) 

(b) I told Ram. (No change in Ram in objective case) 

(c) Ram, come here. (No change in Ram in vocative case) 

(b) In possessive case, nouns are used with an apostrophe (’) or an apostrophe plus an ‘s’. 

Examples: 

(a) My sisters' husbands are coming today. ( Apostrophe used with sisters') 

(b) Ram's car is beautiful. (Ram's: apostrophe plus 's') 


2. Pronouns change their forms according to the cases. 

(a) In subjective case, the pronouns, he, she, it, we, I, they are used. 

Examples: 

He/she/it/we/I/they goes/go. 


(b) In objective case, him, her, it, us, me, them are used. 

Examples: 

Ram told him/her/it/us/me/them. 


(c) In possessive case, his, hers, ×, ours, mine, theirs are used. 

Examples: 

This car is his/hers/ours/mine/theirs. 


d) In vocative case, the only pronoun used is You with no change.

Example: 

You, fool. Listen to John. 


Exercise 1

Read the following examples and decide the cases of the nouns and pronouns used in them. 

1. You did it. 

2. She went to the market with her husband. 

3. Her son goes to school in his car. 

4. I told you about it. 

5. My car is red. 

6. That car is his. 

7. This pen is mine. 

8. They told us about the meeting. 

9. You are mine. 

10. Ram is going to school. 


Note:- that nouns or pronouns used after prepositions are the objects of prepositions. As such, these nouns and pronouns are also in objective case. 


Answer keys:- 

1. Subjective and Objective

2. Subjective and Possessive

3. Possessive and Possessive

4. Subjective, Objective and Objective

5. Possessive 

6. Subjective and Possessive

7. Subjective and Possessive

8. Subjective, Objective and Objective

9. Subjective and Possessive

10. Subjective and Objective


Exercise 2

Mention the objective and possessive cases of the following words. 

1. He 

2. She

3. We 

4. They 

5. I 


Answer keys:- 

1. Him and his 

2. Her and hers 

3. Us and ours 

4. Them and theirs

5. Me and mine