Def/forms/reasons - Case - Noun-Parts Of Speech-ESL/Learn English Grammar

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[Sidenote: _Definition._]


55. Case is an inflection or use of a noun (or pronoun) to show its

relation to other words in the sentence.


In the sentence, "He sleeps in a felon's cell," the word _felon's_

modifies _cell_, and expresses a relation akin to possession; _cell_

has another relation, helping to express the idea of place with the

word _in_.



56. In the general wearing-away of inflections, the number of case

forms has been greatly reduced.


[Sidenote: _Only two_ case forms.]


There are now only two case forms of English nouns,--one for the

_nominative_ and _objective_, one for the _possessive_: consequently

the matter of inflection is a very easy thing to handle in learning

about cases.


[Sidenote: _Reasons for speaking of_ three cases _of nouns_.]


But there are reasons why grammars treat of _three_ cases of nouns

when there are only two forms:--


(1) Because the relations of all words, whether inflected or not, must

be understood for purposes of analysis.


(2) Because pronouns still have three case forms as well as three case

relations.



57. Nouns, then, may be said to have three cases,--the

nominative, the objective, and the possessive.



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