MODERN BUSINESS ENGLISH

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MODERN BUSINESS ENGLISH
Tamara A.Susetyo-Salim

• Manjemen Informasi Dokumentasi
• FAKULTAS ILMU PENGETAHUAN BUDAYA
• UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA

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Nouns Possessive Case
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CASES OF NOUNSThe term case refers to the form
of a noun (or pronoun) that indicates the
relation of the noun to other words in a
sentence. Nouns have three cases, or forms
nominative case, objective case, and possessive
case.

• Nominative Case. The nominative case indicates
  the noun is the subject or the complement of a
  verb.
• The receptionist volunteered to proofread the
  report. (Receptionist is the subject of the verb
  volunteered.)
• Patrick Ward is the receptionist. (Receptionist
  is the complement of the linking verb is it
  renames or further identifies Patrick Ward, the
  subject.)

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• Objective Case. The objective case indicates
  that the noun is the object of a verb, the object
  of a preposition, the object of an infinitive,
  the subject of an infinitive, or the complement
  of the infinitive to be. As illustrated by the
  noun receptionist in the preceding and following
  example sentences, the nominative and objective
  cases of nouns are the same in form.
• Several customers complimented the receptionist.
  (Receptionist is the object of the verb
  complimented it names the receiver of the action
  expressed by the verb complimented.)

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• Do you know the name of the receptionist?
  (Receptionist is the object of the preposition
  of. The prepositional phrase of the receptionist
  modifies the noun name.)
• The clinic plans to hire another receptionist.
  (Receptionist is the object of the infinitive to
  hire.)
• The manager asked the receptionist to attend the
  meeting. (Receptionist is the subject of the
  infinitive to attend.)
• Another employee would like to be a
  receptionist. (Receptionist is the complement of
  the infinitive to be.)

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• Possessive Case. The possessive case of a noun
  indicates ownership or possession of something
  named by another noun. As illustrated below, the
  possessive case of a noun differs from the
  nominative case and the objective case.
• The receptionist's desk is in front of the main
  entrance. (Receptionist's indicates ownership or
  possession of the desk.)
• The possessive case can also show a family or
  other relationship, identification, origin, or
  authorship rather than actual possession or
  ownership.
• The supervisor's nephew applied for the job. (A
  supervisor obviously cannot own a person.) How
  many of Faulkner's novels have you read?
  (Faulkner's indicates authorship of the novels.)

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USE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE

• The appropriateness of using the possessive case
  of a noun depends mainly upon what the noun
  identifies. Sometimes, however, it also depends
  upon whether or not the possessive form clearly
  conveys the intended meaning of the writer or
  speaker.
• Nouns Naming Animate Things. The possessive case
  is used most often for nouns that name people and
  animals.
• client's address Kay's office mayor's
  comments
• chicken's wings dog's leash committee's
  report

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• A possessive noun is a substitute for an of
  phrase. The use of possessive nouns contributes
  to both fluency and conciseness of expression.
  Note that the following sentence is smoother and
  shorter when interviewer's is substituted for of
  the interviewer.
• The questions of the interviewer were easy to
  answer.
• The interviewer's questions were easy to
  answer.

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• To determine whether the possessive form of a
  noun should be used in a particular situation,
  substitute an of phrase for it. If the phrase
  clearly conveys the proper meaning, use the
  possessive form of the noun, In the preceding
  example sentence, of the interviewer clearly
  conveys the proper meaning therefore, using
  interviewers is appropriate.
• To avoid ambiguity, however, it is sometimes
  necessary to use an of phrase or some other
  expression instead of the possessive form of a
  noun. For example, the meaning of Louise's
  photograph is not clear. It can be interpreted to
  mean a photograph of Louise that was taken by
  someone else, a photograph of something or
  someone else that was taken by Louise, a
  photograph that was taken by someone for Louise,
  or a photograph that is owned by Louise.

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• Nouns Naming Inanimate Things. For a noun naming
  an inanimate object, using an of phrase is
  generally preferable to using the possessive form
  of the noun.
• Be sure to study the terms of the contract,
  (not Be sure to study the contract's terms.)
• Who is the owner of the car. (not Who is the
  car's owner?)
• However, when the noun refers to time or
  measurement, the possessive form is frequently
  used.
• Miss McNair paid a month's rent in advance.
• What is the property worth in today's market?
• One motorcyclist bought a dollar's worth of
  gasoline.

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• Similarly, when such nouns as company, firm, and
  store are used in a manner that indicates they
  have characteristics of persons, the possessive
  forms are commonly used.
• What is your company's policy regarding
  discounts?
• The store's new catalog will be available next
  month.
• Nouns Providing Description Only. In some
  instances, a noun is used only to provide
  identification or description of another noun.
  When a noun is used in this way, do not use the
  possessive form.
• sales tax United States embassy Idaho
  potatoes
• sports complex Las Vegas casinos Illinois
  farmland

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FORMING THE POSSESSIVE CASE OF NOUNS

• The possessive case of a noun is formed by
  adding an apostrophe () or an apostrophe and s
  (s) to the noun. It is important to remember
  that the spelling of the singular or plural noun
  itself does not change when the possessive is
  formed.
• 1. Singular Nouns. For most singular nouns, form
  the possessive by adding 's to the singular noun,
• corporation dog secretary Ed mayor
• corporation's dog's secretary's Ed's mayor's

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• If a singular noun ends in an s or z sound (cb,
  s, sb, ss, x, or z), form the possessive by
  adding 's to the singular noun unless doing so
  makes the possessive difficult to pronounce. Note
  that the '5 adds a syllable to the pronunciation
  of the singular noun itself.
• Dr. Birch's office Mr. Weiss's account
• Ms. Walsh's check witness's testimony
• Mrs. Fox's check Miss Mendez's report
• If adding 's would make the possessive noun
  difficult to pronounce, add only an apostrophe
  to a singular noun ending in an s or z sound.
• Moses journey Mr. Hodges assistant

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• When writing the possessive form of a noun,
  remember that the apostrophe always comes after
  the last letter of the nounregardless of whether
  or not the last letter is s. To avoid the mistake
  of inserting the apostrophe before an 5 that is
  part of a singular noun, write the complete noun
  before adding the apostrophe or the apostrophe
  and 5, For the possessive form of Mr. Haynes,
  for example, write Mr. Haynes's (not Mr. Haynes).

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• 2. Plural Nouns. To form the possessive of a
  plural noun ending with the letter s, add only an
  apostrophe after the s. To avoid a mistake, first
  write the plural noun then add the apostrophe.
• bosses two weeks the Hollises
• bosses' plans two weeks' pay the Hollises
  house
• If the plural noun does not end with the letter
  s, write the plural form and then add 's
• children women mice
• children's clothes women's fashions mice's feet

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• 3. Compound Nouns. To form the possessive case
  of a singular or a plural compound noun, add an
  apostrophe () or an apostrophe and s (s) to the
  last element of the compound. Follow the rules
  given for forming the possessives of singular and
  plural nouns. Add 's unless the last element ends
  with the letter s.
• grandchild grandchild's birthday
• grandchildren grandchildren's birthdays
• district attorney district attorney's
• district attorneys district attorneys'
  offices
• son-in-law son-in-law's employer
• sons-in-law sons-in-law's employers
• Using an of phrase is often preferable to using
  the possessive of a plural compound noun.
• My children's playmates' parents attended
• better The parents of my children's playmates
  attended.
• The editors in chiefs responsibilities were
  discussed.
• better The responsibilities of editors in
  chief were discussed.

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• 4. Nouns Joined by and. When nouns joined by and
  show separate ownership, write each noun in
  possessive form.
• Macy's and Gimbels stores (stores owned by two
  companies)
• men's and women's shoes (two kinds of shoes)
• When nouns joined by and show joint ownership,
  change only the last noun to its possessive form.
• Lord and Taylor's store (one store)
• Janet, Raymond, and Diane's nephew (one nephew)

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Spot Check 1

• Study each italicized noun or combination of
  nouns below to determine whether it should be
  written in possessive form. If it should, write
  the possessive form in the space provided. If it
  should not, indicate how the noun (or the entire
  phrase) should be written.
• carpenter hand 1. ___________________
• sales report 2. ___________________
• father-in-law name 3. ___________________
• brothers-in-law jobs 4. ___________________
• Dr. Beniscb fee 5. ___________________

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• the Nimitzes farm 6. _______________
• worth of a dime 7. _______________
• tarry address 8. _______________
• dog bark 9. _______________
• boy and girl names 10. ______________
• Ann and Al mother 11. _______________
• all ladies garments 12. _______________
• Texas cattle 13. _______________
• a tree height 14. _______________
• two months rent 15. _______________
• the company plans 16. _______________
• witnesses testimony 17. _______________
• judge order 18. _______________
• the gentleman remark 19. _______________
• Archimedes discovery 20. _______________

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• 5. Nouns in Organization and Other Names. The
  apostrophe is often omitted in organization
  names, titles of publications, names of holidays,
  and other names which appear to require the
  possessive form. For example, in the name
  American Bankers Association, the words American
  Bankers identify an association composed of
  people in the banking industry. When writing the
  name of a company or other organization, always
  follow the style of the official name or title.
• Sears Reader's Digest
• Saks Fifth Avenue Father's Day
• American Bankers Association ladies' Home
  Journal
• bachelor's degree Harper's Bazaar

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• 6. Abbreviations. To form the possessive of a
  singular abbreviation, add an apostrophe and s
  (s) at the end of the abbreviation.
• Walsh Co.'s Joyce Stein, M.D.'s FBI's
• Paul Martinelli Sr.'s Norton, Inc.'s CPA's
• To form the possessive of a plural abbreviation
  that ends with the letter s, add only an
  apostrophe.
• Harris Bros.' hid both M.D.s opinions

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• 7. Other Nouns. If a name consists of several
  words, form the possessive on the last word.
• Department of Water and Power's report
• Long Island Railroad Company's plans
• the commissioner of consumer affairs'
  investigation
• Sometimes the noun that the possessive modifies
  is understood rather than expressed.
• You can get this at your neighborhood
  pharmacist's.
• Randy's was the best entry in the contest.

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• In some idiomatic expressions, a possessive noun
  functions as the object of the preposition of.
• Some friends of Fred's helped us for a while.
• After leaving the office, we stopped at
  Barbara's.
• The of phrase and the regular possessive are
  interchangeable in some situations.
• Helen introduced me to Mrs. Vance's niece.
• Helen introduced me to a niece of Mrs. Vance.

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• 8. Nouns With Gerunds and Participles. The
  possessive case is used before gerunds (also
  known as verbal nouns. A gerund is a verb that
  ends in ing (driving, planning, singing, or
  writing, for example) and functions as a noun.
• Customers were pleased by the store's lowering
  its prices. (Customers were pleased by the
  lowering of prices)
• Some accidents are caused by drivers' ignoring
  traffic-signals. (Ignoring traffic signals causes
  some accidents.)

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• The possessive case is not used before present
  participles. A present participle is a verb that
  ends in ing and functions as an adjective or as
  part of a verb phrase.
• Customers were pleased by the store lowering
  its prices. (Customers were pleased by the store
  that lowered its prices.)
• Some accidents are caused by drivers ignoring
  traffic signals. (Some accidents are caused by
  drivers who ignore traffic signals.)
• Our company is lowering its prices. (Lowering
  is part of the verb phrase is lowering.)
• Some drivers are ignoring traffic signals.
  (Ignoring is part of the verb phrase are
  ignoring.)

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Spot Check 2

• Write the possessive of each italicized noun in
  the space provided.
• Ladies Home Journal 1. ____________
• Brown Myers Corp. Stock 2. ____________
• Jason Lee, Jr. report 3. ____________
• Lisa cooperating with us 4. ____________
• the Ellises inviting them 5. ____________
• Irene Gardner, D.D.S., fee 6. ____________
• NEC local station 7. ____________
• a CPA qualifications 8. ____________
• the firms agreeing on terms 9. ____________
• get at a neighborhood grocer 10.____________

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• Study Guide 3
• The following sentences illustrate rules for
  forming and using possessives. If you are unsure
  why an italicized noun is or is not in possessive
  form, refer to the rule indicated and to the "Use
  of the Possessive Case" section of Unit 3.
• 1. You are eligible for three weeks2 vacation.
• 2. What is the city's1 main industry?
• 3. The office is an hour's1 drive from my home.
• 4. What are the witnesses'2 names and addresses?
• 5. Several economists'2 opinions appeared in the
  Investor's5 Corner column.
• 6. The procedures manual includes a description
  of an administrative assistant's3 duties.

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• 7. Their daughters-in-law3 degrees are in
  business administration.
• 8. Don's and Martin's4 homes are near Elaine's7.
• 9. The ASPCA's6 purpose is known by everyone.
• 10. The speaker's8 arriving late made the
  group8 waiting for the meeting become restless,
• 11. Martin and Associates5 recommendations have
  been implemented.
• 12. Have Ohios4 and Kansas's1, 4
  representatives spoken with the reporters yet?
• 13. Laura's1 plan is to complete her master's
  degree5.
• 14. The insurance claim forms require
  Anthony Messina, M.D. 's6 signature.
• 15. The two suppliers'8 running out of stock
  caused problems for us.
• 16. You can get the prescription filled at your
  neighborhood pharmacist's7.
• 17. We received Wells Bros.6 bid this morning.
• 18. The Youngs are members of the group8
  requesting a change in the zoning regulation.
• 19. All the sales representatives3
  presentations were excellent.
• 20. Shirley accepted Glen and Lois's4 invitation.

ASIGNMENT Complete the Unit 3 Worksheet on
pages 21 22 and the Part 1 Review on pages 23
24.
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THE END