GRAMMAR - THE SAXON GENITIVE ('S)

 

USE:

The Saxon Genitive ('s) is a form to express possession in English with the nouns for people, animals, countries and expressions of time. 

It substitutes the preposition "of", changing the order of the words: 

POSSESSOR’S + POSSESSION

The book of Mary - Mary's book

 

 FORMS:

1 -  If the noun referring to the possessor is singular, we add 's after it. 

My brother's computer / The dog's leash / Africa's population / Yesterday's newspaper

Attention! If the name of the possessor ends in "s", there are two options:

We can add 's (James's car) or simply ' (James' car). 

The first option (s's) is more common in Modern English and it is always pronounced /iz/.

2 - If the noun referring to the possessor is plural (various possessors) and it ends in –s, we only add ':

My friends' phones / The boys' room

But IRREGULAR  plural nouns (not ending in -s), add 's:

Those women's magazines / The children's toys

DON'T USE THE SAXON GENITIVE WITH OBJECTS: 

The door of the house / The pages of the diary

GRAMMAR - THEORY & PRACTICE: POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES + noun	POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS	EXAMPLES
MY (mi, mis)	MINE (mío/s)	THIS IS MY BOOK. Este es mi libro. THIS BOOK IS MINE. Este libro es mío.
YOUR (tu, tus)	YOURS (tuy@/s)	THIS IS YOUR CAR. Este es tu coche.  THIS CAR IS YOURS. Este coche es tuyo.
HIS (su, sus - de él)	HIS (suy@/s – de él)	THIS IS HIS HOUSE. Esta es su casa.  THIS HOUSE IS HIS. Esta casa es suya.
HER (su, sus -  de ella)	HERS (suy@/s – de ella)	THIS IS HER LETTER. Esta es su carta. THIS LETTER IS HERS. Esta carta es suya.
ITS (su, sus – de eso)	ITS (suy@/s – de eso)	THIS IS ITS LEG. Esta es su pata. (THIS LEG IS ITS. Esta pata es suya.)
OUR (nuestr@/s)	OURS (nuestr@/s)	THESE ARE OUR COMPUTERS. Estos son nuestros ordenadores.  THESE COMPUTERS ARE OURS. Estos ordenadores son nuestros.
YOUR  (vuestr@/s)	YOURS (vuestr@/s)	THESE ARE YOUR SHIRTS. Estas son vuestras camisetas. THESE SHIRTS ARE YOURS. Estas camisetas son vuestras.
THEIR (su, sus – de ell@s)	THEIRS (suy@/s – de ell@s)	THESE ARE THEIR PHONES. Estos son sus teléfonos.  THESE PHONES ARE THEIRS. Estos teléfonos son suyos.

1. Complete the sentences. Use possessive pronouns.

1. We have got two books. These are our books. These books are _________________.

2. She has got a doll. This is her doll. This doll is _________________.

3. They have got a flat. This is their flat. This flat is _______________:

4. You and your sister have got a cat. This is your cat. This cat is _________________.

5. Tom has got a motorbike. This is his motorbike. This motorbike is ______________.

6. I have got a tracksuit. This is my tracksuit. This tracksuit is _________________.

7. Mary and Susan have got two mobile phones. These are her mobile phones. These mobile phones are _____________________.

8. Peter and I have got two bikes. These are our bikes. These bikes are _____________.

2. Finish the sentences with possessive pronouns.

1. It’s your CD player. It’s _____________.

2. They are her trainers.  They’re _______________.

3. It’s his watch.  It’s ________________.

4. They are my shoes. They’re _______________.

5. It’s our television. It’s ________________.

6. It’s their house. It’s _________________.

3. Underline the right words. 

1. It’s THEIR / THEIRS business, not OUR / OURS.

2. Pamela always forgets HER / HIS GLASSES at home.

3. This is a beautiful dress. Is it YOUR / YOURS?

4. Whose notebook is this? YOUR / YOURS or MY /MINE?

5. This old lady has got two grandchildren but I don’t know THEIR / THEIRS names.

6. Can I use YOUR / YOURS dictionary? I forgot MY / MINE.

7. Mandy always takes HER / HERS umbrella.

GRAMMAR - THEORY & PRACTICE: POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

               

SUBJECT PRONOUNS	POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES + noun	EXAMPLES
I (yo)	MY (mi, mis)	I’VE GOT A BOOK → MY BOOK Yo tengo un libro → Mi libro
YOU (tú)	YOUR (tu, tus)	YOU’VE GOT A CAT → YOUR CAT Tú tienes un gato → Tu gato
HE (él)	HIS (su, sus - de él)	HE’S GOT A HOUSE → HIS HOUSE Él tiene una casa → Su casa
SHE (ella)	HER (su, sus-  de ella)	SHE’S GOT A BIKE → HER BIKE Ella tiene una bici → Su bici
IT (eso)	ITS (su, sus – de eso)	IT’S GOT A BONE → ITS BONE Ese tiene un hueso → Su hueso
WE (nosotr@s)	OUR (nuestr@/s)	WE’VE GOT PENS → OUR PENS Nosotr@s tenemos bolis → Nuestros bolis
YOU (vosotr@s)	YOUR (vuestr@/s)	YOU’VE GOT A TV → YOUR TV Vosotr@s tenéis una tele → vuestra TV
THEY (ell@s)	THEIR (su, sus – de ell@s)	THEY’VE GOT A DOG → THEIR DOG Ell@s tienen un perro → Su perro

1. Underline the correct words.  

1. MY / I name is Alisson.

2. HIS / HE brother is my German teacher.

3. YOU / YOUR parents are from Liverpool.

4. THEIR / THEY live in New Zealand.

5. WE / OUR are good at Maths.

6. SHE / HER is interested in swimming.

2. Use the correct possessive adjectives.  

1. He has got a computer.

This is  ___________ computer.

2. You have got a calculator.

This is___________ calculator.

3. Mary has got a sister.

This is  ____________ sister.

4. I have got a diary.

This is ___________ diary.

5. Mark and Paul have got two mobile phones.

These are ___________ mobile phones.

6. The cat has got a toy.

This is ________ toy.

3. Complete the sentences. Use possessive adjectives.  

1. Is that Mary’s pet? Yes, it is ___________ pet.

2. The cat is licking _________ own paw.

3. Mary, is __________ sister at the cinema?

4. I am going to ___________ parents’ house tonight.

5. We are showing _________ trainers to Janet.

6. These children always keep ____________ room tidy.

7. You need to write _______________ names on the exam.

4. Replace the subject pronouns by possessive adjectives.  

1. Where is (YOU) ____________ sister now?

2.  I write an e-mail to (I) ___________ friend Paul.

3. Klaus lives in Germany with (HE) ___________ family.

4. Claudia and Nora go to the disco with (THEY) ____________ friends.

5. Ana asks questions to (SHE) __________ teacher.

6. We always remember to take (WE) _____________ coats in winter.

GRAMMAR - THEORY & PRACTICE: OBJECT PRONOUNS

OBJECT PRONOUNS

SUBJECT PRONOUNS (before verb)	OBJECT PRONOUNS (after verb)	EXAMPLES
I (yo)	ME (mi, me)	I LISTEN TO THE SONG. / THE MAN LISTENS TO ME. Yo escucho la canción. / El hombre me escucha.
YOU (tú)	YOU (ti, te)	YOU WRITE A LETTER. / ANA WRITES TO YOU. Tú escribes una carta. / Ana te  escribe.
HE (él)	HIM (lo, le)	HE OPENS THE BOX. / THE TEACHER TALKS TO HIM. Él abre la caja. / La profesora le habla.
SHE (ella)	HER (la, le)	SHE LAYS THE TABLE. / THE WITNESS SEES HER. Ella pone la mesa. / El testigo la ve.
IT (eso)	IT (lo, la, le)	IT BITES THE MAT. / THE DOG BITES IT. Eso muerde la alfombra. / El perro la muerde.
WE (nosotr@s)	US (nos)	WE KNOW NORA. / NORA KNOWS US. Nosotros conocemos a Nora. / Nora nos conoce.
YOU (vosotr@s)	YOU (os)	YOU WRITE LETTERS. / ANN AND MIKE WRITE TO YOU. Vosotras escribís cartas. / Ann y Mike os escriben.
THEY (ell@s)	THEM (los, las, les)	THEY CELEBRATE A PARTY. / THE BRANCH HIT THEM. Ellos celebran una fiesta. / La rama los golpeó.

1.  Write the object pronoun for each subject pronoun. 

1. I -

2. You -

3. He -

4. She -

5. We -

6. You -

7. They –

2. Underline the correct pronouns. 

1. We usually see THEY / THEM.

2. He writes to WE / US every day.

3. He loves HER / SHE very much but she doesn’t love HE / HIM.

4. Please, don’t wait for I / ME.

5. Are you listening to HE / HIM?

3. Complete the sentences. Use object pronouns. 

1. Who is that woman? Why are you looking at ____________?

2. Oh, look! That is James. Yes, I work with ______________.

3. Where are the tickets? I can’t find _______________.

4. We are going out. You can come with _____________.

5. I am talking to you. Please listen to _____________.

6. Where is Anne? I want to talk to ____________.

4. Replace the subject pronouns by object pronouns. 

1. I talk with (HE) ____________ once a week.

2. He works for (SHE) _______________.

3. She plays with (WE) ______________.

4. We live with (THEY) _______________.