MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


  SmartMemo
Saxon Genitive: special cases
Focus Grammar
Description Practise special cases in the use of the Saxon Genitive ('s). See if you can express all these ideas correctly using ( 's) when possible.
Instructions 1- Look at the sentences and try to transform them into sentences expressing possession. 2- Move your mouse over the black button to check your answer. 3- If you were right, click on the green button, if wrong, click on the red.
 
Item Match Comments
This year has a summer. It will be very hot. - ... will be very hot This year's summer will be very hot
The lion has a head. It is very big. - ... is very big The lion's head is very big
My cat has eyes. They are blue. - ... are blue My cat's eyes are blue
"Cheer" is the name of the bar. I'll invite you to come there. - Come and have a drink at... Come and have a drink at Cheer's Using 'S for the names of bars is so common that now the 'S usually is part of the name of the bar.
Brandy has a phone. - This is... This is Brandy's phone
Coca-Cola has workers. Most of them are on holiday now. - ... are on holiday now Most Coca-Cola's workers are on holiday now
The mountain has a top. It is white. - ... is white The top of the mountain is white
On Sunday we attend mass. We go to a church. Its name is Saint Peter. - On Sundays we go to... On Sundays we go to Saint Peter's you can say "... to Saint Peter's church" but it is not necessary
That bike is horrible. Christian has a very nice bike. - I don't like that bike, I prefer... - I don't like that bike, I prefer Christian's
This is a newspaper. It was published today. - This is... This is today's newspaper
You car has windows. They are dirty. - ... are dirty The windows of your car are dirty
Mike has a house. I was there yesterday. - Yesterday I was... Yesterday I was at Mike's You can also say "in Mike's house"
The fridge has a door. It is broken. - We need to repair... We need to repair the door of the fridge
My mother went to visit my uncle. She's there, in his house. - My mother's not here, she's... My mother's not here, she's at my uncle's also: "... in my uncle's house"
Spain has a king. The king is visiting Russia. - ... is visiting Russia Spain's king is visiting Russia also: The King of Spain
Real Madrid has players. They are celebrating their victory. - ... are celebrating... Real Madrid's players are celebrating their victory
Tomorrow there is a meeting. The meeting will be at 7. - ... will be at 7 Tomorrow's meeting will be at 7
The table has a leg. It is broken. - ... is broken. The leg of the table is broken.
We were on a tour for 5 days. - It was a ... It was a 5-days' tour When using numbers it is also common to use: noun + noun
It was a 5-day tour
Google has an office in London. It is very beautiful. - ... in London is very beautiful Google's office in London is very beautiful also: The office of Google (but less common)
note: Google Inc. is a famous internet company
My house has walls. They are blue. - ... are blue The walls of my house are blue
I have a house here. Billy has another house there. - This is... and that is... This is my house and that is Billy's
My dog has a bed. - That is... That is my dog's bed If it's not your dog you can also say "That is the bed of your dog".
Megan has a book. The book is here. - Is this your book? - No, it's... - Is this your book? - No, it's Megan's
I don't recognize that car. Tim has that car. - Whose car is it? - It's... Whose car is it? - It's Tim's
Total number of items: 25
This is an activity from Multimedia-English www.multimedia-english.com
 

We use 'S to express possession when talking about people:

Phoebe has a cat This is Phoebe's cat


 

SPECIAL CASES

We can also use it with time words and expressions:

Today's newspaper
Come to next Saturday's party
It was a three-weeks' journey

We often use it when talking about things referring to people (countries, organizations, firms...)

Italy's first president was De Nicola
Manchester United's players are in Egypt
Bill Gates revealed Microsoft's plans for the future

We can also use the 'S with animals, especially your pets and big animals

My dog's leg is broken = The leg of that dog is broken
The elephant's baby is very cute = The baby of the elephant...

  We can use the  'S  as a pronoun when the noun has been mentioned or it is understood

Is that Peter's car? - No, that's Kevin's  (= Kevin's car)
This is my book and this is Mike's

For the same reason, when the context is clear we don't mention the "thing" possessed when we are talking about some places: people's house, shop, church or firm

Yesterday I went to Susan's   (Susan's house)
We had a beer at Paco's   (Paco's bar)
They got married at St Joseph's   (=St Joseph's church)
I went to the baker's    (=the baker's shop)
I must go to the doctor's   (=the doctor's office)